Depending on your home's value, your market and comps in your neighborhood, you could consider making renovations in your home before listing. In a place like New York, however, where houses are being snapped up fast and prices are over the roof, renovating your house for sale might be a crazy idea. But in suburbs with high inventory, your house needs to measure up.

When selling, you wouldn't be looking through the same eyeglasses as a new homeowner. Your calculations and priorities will be much different. The most important thing when you have to consider value is return on investment. What renovations will make my house sell fast and at the same time give good return on investment? Before you embark on gutting your circa 1990 kitchen, the first thing you might need to do is consult an experienced realtor who knows what works best in your particular neighborhood.

You might find out that minor cosmetic upgrades will get more buyers through the door. And yea, the door is important. Instead of spending money on pricey renovations like adding a deck or basement revamp, Remodeling magazine’s 2015 Cost vs. Value Report says that replacing your existing front door with a new steel door will net you a 101.8% ROI for a minimal replacement cost of $1,230. Knowing which areas to spend on will help save you a lot of money when making renovations. Let's look at five low-cost ways to increase your home's value.

        Inexpensive Home Improvement Tips to Improve Your Home’s Value

1. Consider curb appeal. Nothing says 'welcome to this lovely house' to a prospective buyer as a nicely mowed lawn, a few shrubs here and there and a well-swept walkway. The first impression buyers have as they drive to your home is truly important. So, it's necessary you set the stage right. Hiring a good landscaper will be worth the money. Not only will your home appeal to prospective buyers, your neighbor would also love the effort.

2. Have a cohesive kitchen. Kitchen plays a big role in home improvement. Many Realtors call it the heart of the home. Indeed it is; since an average American homeowner spends at least 37 minutes daily in the kitchen. Sprucing up your kitchen demands that you create the impression of a clean and updated kitchen. One way to achieve this impression is creating cohesiveness, especially with color. Mix and match kitchens are not the best. If your kitchen appliances don't match, consider ordering new doors, e.g new cabinet doors or face panels for them.

3. Work on your bathroom. Next to the kitchen, bathrooms are important to potential home buyers. You can make a difference in your bathroom at a low cost by adding new toilet seat and a pedestal sink. These are also pretty easy for homeowners to install on their own. One thing you may not be able to do on your own but which will add value to your bathroom is replacing an old, discolored, bathroom floor with vinyl tiles. Bright, energy efficient lighting will also improve your bathroom's appeal.

4. Update closets. Cramped storage spaces are not attractive to potential buyers. You can step up your storage by adding a do-it-yourself wire and laminate system to bedrooms and pantries.

5. Check the mechanics. Having a minor inspection and working on existing faults in your home like faulty outlets, loose wires and water leaks give the impression that someone has really taken care of the home.

You don’t want to pay excess on a property. So, it’s important to know what a home really costs on the equity scale

Real estate whether home or abroad is a substantial, long-term investment. It is therefore imperative that you research various countries and neighborhoods before choosing one to invest in because economists agree that there is an opportunity cost to investing in a particular property.

Your research should include the existence of changing political and economic scenarios, as these would have profound impact on the housing market, especially influencing central bank rates and lending policies.

Factors Affecting Market Value of Foreign Real Estate

Location is critical. Apart from the real estate conditions existent in the country, you don't want a place with high crime rate and bad transport system. But looking ahead, you have to examine the profitability of your investment. Home appraisers looking at homes consider features like property age, lot size, internal square footage, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, amenities and overall condition. Hence the first step in determining your home's market value is taking an appraiser’s glasses and looking at the home objectively, writing down the principal features of your home.

How to Determine Market Value of Foreign Real Estate

Valuing a home is not an exact science but here are some things you can do to make a ‘scientific’ guess on the fair market value of a property abroad.

1. Check out comps.

Find four or five comparable homes in the area that have sold within the past six months. A local agent should be able to help you with that data. Your research on comparable homes (comps) will give you a good indication of what your intended property might be worth. Comparable homes should be roughly the same size, construction, age and style with the same number of rooms, layout and other features. You want to identify the prices at which these properties sold and how fast they left the market.

2. Calculate the rate per square foot.

For each of your comps, divide the selling price by the square footage of the property. This gives you a price per square foot or PPSF. Find the average value of these homes by adding the PPSF figures and dividing by the number of comps you are using. For example, suppose it has the following compositions:

Property A is 2,000 square feet and sells for $ 420,000. The PPSF is $ 210.

Property B is 2,200 square feet and sells for $ 480,000. The PPSF is $ 218.

Property C is 1,900 square feet and sells for $ 390,000. The PPSF is $ 205.

Property D is 2,000 square feet and sells for $ 475,000. The PPSF is $ 237.

The average price per square foot is $ 217. Multiply this figure by the number of square feet of your home to get a rough idea of ??the market value of your home.

3. Consider the special qualities of your home.

While the PPSF gives a benchmark, it does not take into account the unique features that could raise or lower the value of your home. Improvements like a new bathroom, kitchen or siding tend to add value; On the contrary, it is likely that a home in poor condition will have a lower value than a well-maintained property. There is usually a wide variety of prices per square foot based on these factors. Ultimately, you have to decide if your home is worth more or less than the average PPSF in your neighborhood.

What goes on in your head when moving into a new home? Foremost, how do I turn this empty shell of a house into an inviting home that reflects my own personal style? You don't want a bland and boring house. Your new house offers a new start. You can eliminate the junk and put in new digs; you can buy that bed you've always dreamed about; or beef up the kitchen and dining area for maximum comfort and entertainment. The great thing about home decoration is that you have the chance to improve your home's appearance without spending much money. Let's look at some home design ideas for giving each room in your house a makeover.

When giving a home a facelift, sometimes simple solutions can have a big impact. Here are some inexpensive home design ideas to give rooms a new lease of life.

1. Don't rush. You need to take a little time before starting major decor projects in your new home. Take some time to let in the feel and observe what the home needs before buying major stuff. HGTV recommends staying in the house for two months before making significant purchases. You might be spending money on the wrong areas. For example, instead of spending $5,000 on revamping and putting new features in your bathrooms, you might find out that you could spend half the price to get your bathroom in great shape.

2. Add color to walls. For people who get out early, a light shade will do while a deep tone will make the house more homely for those who spend more time indoors. You can also make a statement with a feature wall. Adding a lick of paint to your walls is an inexpensive way to give your room an instant lift. Whether you decorate your entire room in an intense shade or opt for a stylish two-toned plan, fresh color on your walls guarantee oodles of glamor.

3. Pare down. Now it's time to reassess and evaluate what works and what doesn't. Don't pack everything from your old home over. You don't really need everything you've accumulated. They will only make rooms stuffy. Having a new house gives you chance to try out a fresh approach. This means you can pare down on tired pieces that will only clutter up your space. You can sell these items off on eBay or drop them off at a charity shop.

4. Use right lighting. Transform the mood of rooms at a cheap price with the right lighting. You can also invest in dimmers to switch from bright to low lighting. When decorating bathrooms, try out stylish lights. For bedrooms, buy a fresh shade for lamps. You can give your room a cohesive style with stylish lighting.

5. Update roller blinds. Whether you go for a subtle floral pattern or statement stripes, roller blinds for your windows are great low-cost, high impact options for designing rooms. They can transform your dull windows and complement other designs in your room.

Less is often more when decorating and less is also eco-friendly. No matter how small your space, you can always let your creativity shine through.