Contrary to popular belief, buying and owning a home is not a one-time expense that is limited to the mortgage you pay. It comes with a lot of other responsibilities and maintenance requirements, including making upgrades, knowing which ones to invest in, and how much you should spend on them.
With so many home design trends coming in and out, it’s difficult to decide what’s worth upgrading and what isn’t. What do buyers look for in a home in San Francisco? What upgrades are going to add to the value of your home? What’s going to look dated in 5 years? Everyone can use some help deciding, so here are 4 home upgrades you’ll want to make to your San Francisco home.
- Outdoor Entertaining
With the pandemic forcing so many of us to stay indoors, the focus has shifted outdoors, so many homeowners have taken this opportunity to make updates to their backyards, patios, and gardens.
Adding a pool or outdoor furniture to create a patio area are great, but the major trend this year are outdoor kitchens. Intended for summer entertaining purposes, outdoor kitchens are the great compromise to inviting everyone inside your home to hang out in the kitchen. This way, everything is safe, there is more space, and everyone gets to enjoy the amazing weather.
Indoor-outdoor living has really been popularized as a concept during this time, so the upcoming years will witness many buyers looking for a space like this. Add an outdoor dining area, a grill, and a fire pit, and you can create the perfect entertaining area that will add tremendous value to your San Fran home.
- A Home Office
And speaking of the pandemic, the other major impact it’s had on real estate is that many people suddenly find themselves needing a home office. Everyone is working from home, potentially on a long-term or even permanent basis, so working at the kitchen table is unrealistic. A dedicated space is necessary, and it also adds value to your home.
Ideally, a guest bedroom can be turned into a home office, or at least it can pull double duty. Creating this space isn’t difficult at all – make sure to pick a room that’s at a far end of your home, for privacy and quiet, and that it gets some natural light.
You just need to fit a desk in there, a very comfortable chair, and equip it with all your tech needs for work. Make sure your microphone and camera are top-notch and you’re your internet connection is stable – you’ll be grateful if you ever need to work from home, but it’s also a big selling point for potential buyers.
- Eco-Friendly Updates
Sustainable living is more and more popular and in demand, to the point where it’s becoming a requirement for new buyers. Whether you’re looking to upgrade to sell or just to cut down on your own consumption, there are a lot of easy updates you can make to make your home more eco-friendly.
Solar panels
Utilizing renewable energy is a major aspect in sustainability, so if you want to make a small change that’s going to have a big impact, this is a great choice. Solar panels are cheaper than ever before, and they might even be eligible for tax breaks. You can have them installed on the roof of your home, and they can save you up to $30,000 on your energy bill. That’s a big win for your wallet and for the environment.
Smart thermostat
The other small upgrade with a big return is to install a smart thermostat. That allows you to better control your environment and the temperature in your home, even from far away. Not only does that add a level of convenience that you don’t otherwise get with a traditional thermostat – and who doesn’t want to get their home toasty before stepping out of bed? – but it generates big returns when it comes to your energy bills.
A more efficient consumption means that you save energy, which is great for sustainability purposes, but also saves costs, long-term. That’s something you can enjoy and that’s also going to attract buyers, should you decide to sell.
- Smart Updates
Smart tech is a big draw for Millennial buyers, in particular, who are willing to pay more for a home that is equipped with smart devices. In 2021, a smart home is the ultimate upgrade you need, especially in tech-conscious San Francisco.
Smart kitchen appliances
If you’re looking to impress and add value to your home, a kitchen reno is usually the way to go, and why not make it a smart kitchen? A showy appliance like a smart fridge isn’t just cool and innovative, it can actually be quite practical.
Smart fridges come with useful features like the ability to create a virtual grocery list you can access on your phone remotely, scan its contents, and even alert you of expired products, so that you can replace them accordingly.
In addition, like a lot of smart devices, the fridge talks to you and can dictate recipes to you for the ultimate little kitchen helper.
Smart voice assistant
Is a home complete without a smart home assistant in 2021? Alexa and Google Voice are incredibly popular, to the point where there are currently 320 million units installed globally, and they’re expected to double in number by 2024.
Bottom line
If it’s time to upgrade your home, might as well make the investment worth it, so choose wisely. In San Francisco, there are some updates that will add more value to your property, be more attractive for potential buyers and be more useful to you long-term.
Outdoor remodeling is big in 2021, in the wake of the pandemic, and so are home offices. Otherwise, it’s all about tech, especially in San Fran. Whether it’s making eco-conscious choices like smart thermostats or opting for a fancy smart fridge, any of these updates will make your home more modern and desirable.