
29 Smart Upgrades for the Savvy New Home Buyer
29 SMART UPGRADES FOR THE SAVY NEW HOME BUYER |
It’s no secret why Quartz is a household favorite for modern homeowners. Its durable build, customizable design and low-maintenance material make quartz a top countertop choice. Because the material is sturdier than marble and resistant to stains, bacteria, and heat damage, quartz is a beautiful upgrade for kitchens of all looks, sizes, and styles. 2. Polished Center Island In many modern homes, kitchen islands are a must-have. 3. Stacked Upper Cabinets Adding a top row of 18” ceiling cabinets creates visual appeal 4. Under Cabinet Lighting You can never have too much lighting, especially in the heart of your home. Chopping, cooking and cleaning is no fun in the dark! Adding task lighting under your cabinets isn’t just about safer and easier cooking, it adds a warm, welcoming glow that brings out the color and vibrancy of your kitchen cabinets, countertops, and trim work. 5. Top-of-the-Line Appliances Your kitchen can never be too well-equipped, especially when it comes to the everyday countertop tools you’ll use to feed your family. Since your kitchen appliances will be doing plenty of work for you, making high-end selections is always a wise use of your smart upgrade dollars. To save space and brighten your kitchen cabinetry, consider upgrading to a corner wall oven. Keep your food fresh and flavorful as well by adding a subzero fridge.
It’s a place where you can start your day, relax after work, and enjoy some much needed alone time. In fact, many homeowners view the bathroom as the second most important area of a home.Enjoy your bathroom space for all it’s worth and increase your resale value through the following four bathroom smart upgrades. Let’s face it, when it comes to the master bathroom, design matters as much as functionality. Your bathroom should be able to handle your ordinary morning routine while also helping you feel like you’re treating yourself to spa-like comfort, right in your own home. 8. Enhanced Tile Luxurious, spa-style bathrooms are on the rise. One of the best ways to achieve a rich ambiance and atmosphere is to add tile to your master bathroom. Whether you choose to tile the entire floor or just the shower, you can rest assured, it will stand the test of time in looks and in cost!
If you’re looking to go with a sleeker, more modern look in your new home’s bathroom, consider installing a stand-alone grotto shower. These resort-style showers can be made from tile or natural stone — it will feel like you’re visiting the spa in the comfort of your own bathroom! Adding a grotto shower will also provide plenty of space and thanks to the removal of glass enclosures and the addition of built-in seating, much more space than a traditional shower stall 10. Stand-Alone Bathtub
to customize its look and feel. The following smart upgrades serve as the ultimate reminder that your Cardel custom home was built just for you. While over-customizing your home isn’t always recommended, the following upgrades will offer a nice balance between making the home your own and adding to its value for future buyers.
Adding some extra detailto your ceiling can go a longway in bringing each room together. With a grid of bold beams that can be painted to match your home’s color palette and decor, coffered ceilings add dimension and definition to any room. In addition, tray ceilings feature a center section that sits higher than the perimeter of the room, offering the appearance of a luxurious, lobbystyle ceiling rather than a bland, ordinary one. Add painted trim or perimeter lighting around the ceiling for additional ambiance. 12. Drop Zone Making your family’s life more enjoyable and productive requires planning, which is exactly where a drop zone (also known as a “mudroom”) comes into play. A drop zone serves as a designated area to house your family’s most frequently used items. When designing the drop zone, keep in mind what your family uses most often, then design accordingly. 13. Extra Windows If you like the thought of natural light flowing into your home, adding extra windows is an upgrade you’ll love! Transom windows can be added above doors or existing windows to bring in extra daylight, while picture windows offer a wider view of the great outdoors, giving your main living area a gorgeous, grand style. Keep in mind, it’s easier to add more windows during construction, not after it. 14. Wood Flooring As one of the most popular home upgrade choices, wood flooring can give your home some serious aesthetic value. Wood flooring is never out of style and it comes in a variety of colors, cuts and patterns. In other words, it will last as long as your home does! Upgrade Home Technology
To ensure your home is up to date with the latest in home technology, make sure the proper wiring for data, video, and audio systems are installed during construction. Hard-wired connections built into your home are typically a safer choice than wireless devices. They eliminate the risk of weak signal strength and provide a more reliable, enjoyable entertainment experience 16. Home Automation Pre-wiring your home will also help with home automation technology. Through an integrated security system, home automation technology helps to protect your home from theft and vandalism while remote monitoring systems keep an eye on your kids or pets if you’re away from the house. it’s a lifestyle and a popular selling point for homebuyers, and it’s no wonder why. The US Department of Energy has stated that the average American household spends over $5,000 on home energy costs alone. When building your new custom home, an energy-efficient focus can save you up to 30% on your electric bill, help preserve the planet’s natural resources, and cut back on pollution. Including these savvy, smart upgrades will provide value that might go unseen, but certainly not unfelt! 17. High-Rated Insulation Home energy efficiency always begins with insulation. With better insulation, you’ll keep in the air you pay to heat or cool while you keep out unwelcomed moisture, allergens, and even excessive noise. Blown-in insulation provides a seamless level of protection for your home and a quicker installation process than the traditional rolled insulation. 18. Tankless Water Heater These energy-saving appliances can reduce your water heating costs by up to 40% and last decades longer than traditional water heaters. With the addition of a tankless water heater, you’ll save interior home space and keep water heated around the clock and around the calendar. 19. Dual-Pane Windows If you live in Florida, you know that having a powerful and reliable A/C unit at home isn’t optional, it’s a must-have. For a Smart Upgrade to your A/C unit, look for a system with a SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating of at least 16. This will ensure that your home’s A/C unit is efficient enough to keep your home consistently cool and your monthly payments consistently low!
Quite literally, the exterior of your home is the face of it, and it’s
For many homebuyers, stone has an eternal shelf life. Refined and timeless, a stone exterior gives your home a feeling of class and distinction that vinyl siding simply cannot match. Stone is also resistant to fire and storm damage, nearly maintenance-free, and promises to last as long as your home does! Making the shift from vinyl siding to a stone exterior can be a difficult process — that’s why we recommend upgrading to stone before construction is completed. Upgrading from a traditional shingled roof to one made from clay tile or galvanized metal will not only provide you with a roof that literally lasts a lifetime (50 years vs. 15 years), it will be an easier fix in light of Florida’s often extreme weather conditions. Besides giving your home more curb appeal than standard shingles, tile and metal roofs come in a variety of color and design choices. Personalize your roof to fit your style. Let’s not forget about energy savings either — both tile and metal deflect heat to keep you cooler inside!
If you’re planning to entertain loved ones quite a bit, focusing on these outdoor living upgrades will make all the difference for parties, holidays, and casual get-togethers! Florida families know about the state’s short-lived winter. It’s why Florida is home to some of the most impressive outdoor living spaces in the country. Embracing the laid-back Florida lifestyle with an outdoor kitchen is a great way to keep your family gatherings filled with fun, food, and Florida sunshine. An outdoor grill is perfect for fancy dinner dates, casual afternoon bites, or fun and fast meals — especially when you’re looking to feed a crowd.
25. Water Features Is your landscape still looking a bit dry? Installing a water feature can add some Florida design flair.. Since many water features are made with fiberglass and then reinforced with concrete, they’re typically low maintenance features and easy installations. 26. Swimming Pool It’s why Florida is home to some of the most impressive outdoor living spaces in the country. Embracing the laid-back Florida lifestyle with an outdoor kitchen is a great way to keep your family gatherings filled with fun, food, and Florida sunshine. As one of the few states where residents can make great use of their swimming pools around the calendar, Florida is the perfect place to build a pool that will add a splash of style to your outdoor living experience. Lined with pavers, comfortable seating, and an outdoor grill to keep the fun coming, there aren’t many savvy outdoor upgrades 27. LED Lighting Whether you’re after a timeless look or a more durable and modern feel, both clay and stone pavers are great choices for your patio. Clay, for instance, is a classic and reliable choice thanks thanks to its durable material and color retention — even through spills, mud, and summer thunderstorms. Just as you would with any kind of flooring, remember to begin with a level base before laying your clay pavers. Starting with a solid subfloor will not only help your patio look professionally finished, but also last for years to come. Installing stone is different beast — because stone is naturally heavier than clay, it requires machinery (or quite a few hands) to put in place. However, stone adds a rich, original look to your outdoor living space, especially with unique patterns and natural line breaks in the stone material. 29. Fire Pit When paired with an outdoor couch or comfortable furniture, Grab some food, friends, and a drink and circle around this popular outdoor living icon all year long! If your city of residence doesn’t allow a traditional, open wood fire out back, a natural gas fire pit is always an option — literally at the flip of a switch! |