Tips for Enhancing A Home's Curb Appeal

Never underestimate the power of curb appeal. A whopping 99 percent of National Association of Realtors members believe it's important in attracting a buyer.

August is National Curb Appeal Month, and the perfect time for homeowners to make upgrades. Whether repairs enhance form, function or both, homeowners should select projects that will improve quality of life now, and add value when it comes time to sell.

To take a "top down" approach, start with the roof. You can get 68.8 percent of your cost recouped from this investment when reselling a mid-ranged priced home, according to the "2017 Cost Versus Value Study" from Remodeling Magazine. Plus, it's a big impact project with long-lasting value, especially if you choose low maintenance, high-quality materials. For example, the composite slate and shake roof offerings at DaVinci Roofscapes are durable and impact- and fire-resistant. To view colors or customize your own blend, visit www.davinciroofscapes.com/color/designer.

Don't neglect garage doors. Styles, surface treatments, colors and other options can vary considerably, so be sure you're boosting curb appeal when making this upgrade. For example, the American Tradition Series at Haas Door can give your home a carriage house look. Use HaasCreate, the online visualizer tool available at Haascreate.com to upload a photo of your home and compare options visually. Another reason to replace the garage door? It offers a 76.9 percent return on investment, according to the "Cost Versus Value" study.

Add aesthetic appeal from the street while making life more comfortable indoors. Consider installing acrylic block or decorative glass privacy windows in living spaces, bathrooms and hallways. For simple installation, consider Hy-Lite, which offers pre-framed, ready-to-install options, as well as the opportunity to retrofit some products to meet your specifications.

Boost beauty by adding shutters, along with decorative trim to doors and windows. Be sure products are moisture-, insect- and rot-resistant so they don't prove to be more trouble than they're worth. Low maintenance polyurethane options, such as the thousands of pieces available from Nu-Wood, replicate the look and feel of wood and are easy to install.

Don't forget to evaluate any columns you may have on your porch or front of your home. To get long-term beauty and performance, use sturdy products that are structurally certified. For example, the sturdy posts from Woodtone RealPost are manufactured from premium selected Western SPF and are warranted against warping, twisting and joint separation.

Accent walls are not just for interiors. Manufactured stone veneer siding can be an attractive way to boost curb appeal and add value to a home. Indeed, you can recoup an estimated 89.4 percent of the cost of this investment when reselling your home. Consider surrounding a chimney wall exterior, half wall or wainscot application. For an easy-to-install option, look at the mortarless styles and colors available by ClipStone.

Make the most of National Curb Appeal Month with a top-down approach that offers you beauty, better living and bang for your buck.

10 Ways to Add Colorful Curb Appeal to a Home

Want to give your home a dash of curb appeal? Experts say to focus on colorful accents for the home exterior.

 "The outside of a house is an open palette, and there's so much opportunity to add curb appeal with colorful accents," says color expert Kate Smith, chief color maven with Sensational Color.

Here are 10 ways to give your house a colorful facelift.

1.      No matter what style your home is, the roof is a major aspect of its curb appeal -- sometimes as much as 40 percent of the view. So think about it first. Use free online resources like the new Top Down Color visualizer from DaVinci Roofscapes to quickly visualize how different colors and products will look on your home.

2.      Make landscaping decisions with color top-of-mind. Either go for a vibrant and natural look, or create a stylized look with patterns and designs.

3.      Replace the numbers on your house or clean the old ones. Brass will certainly stand out on most housing materials; however, you may prefer to use large colorful accent numbers to contrast with your home exterior.

4.      Forget about your bland, boring garage door. Use free online resources like HaasCreate, an online visualizer, to select one with color and distinction. Available from Haas Door at haascreate.com, the tool allows you to upload a photo of your home then select different garage door styles to see what will work best on your home.

5.      Give your mail carrier a warmer welcome. Spruce up your mailbox with a fresh coat of paint. Or, if it's rusty or splintered, replace it. There are many styles available, so consider selecting something with character.

6.      Add decorative glass windows for a distinctive accent to your home exterior. An assortment of square, geometric and oval shaped options are available in both fixed and operable styles from such brands as Hy-Lite. Certain windows feature black, satin or brass caming to offset beveled glass pieces and other privacy textured glass, while other windows boast silkscreened designs.

7.      Soft touches, such as adding new colorful pillows to a front porch swing, laying out a new welcome mat or hanging a flag, can give your home cozy, colorful curb appeal.

8.      Add color to shutters, door and window surrounds, and other trim pieces. Start with low maintenance polyurethane pieces that are moisture-, insect- and rot-resistant. Through the Classic Color Program available at Nu-Wood, you can have pieces pre-painted in any of 9,000 Sherwin-Williams paint colors and ready to install out of the box. The company includes a touch-up container of paint for convenience.

9.      For natural hues that accent and add contrast to siding, consider applying mortarless stone veneer as full accent walls on your home's exterior or as a half wall/wainscot application. Check out easy-to-install products, available at manufacturers like ClipStone. Colors of their Ledgestone and ProStack styles include Ash, Poinset, Sand and Tan.

10.  Pressure wash and repaint where necessary to restore your home to its original colorful splendor.

Using color strategically, you can make your home more valuable to potential buyers or just more personalized for your own tastes.

Top 3 "Most Welcoming" Curb Appeal Colors for the Home

anager Red. Maxi Teal. Convivial Yellow. According to national color expert Kate Smith, these are the three most welcoming colors people can add to their home exteriors to increase their property's curb appeal.

"Red on the front of a home instantly invites someone in with the promise of something delightful inside," says Smith, chief color maven at Sensational Color. "Bright red is a classic, but in today's society I believe that Tanager Red, with its toned down red that leans toward orange, is a really beautiful accent color.

"The second color, Maxi Teal, is the perfect blend of warm and cool. Almost any shade of blue-green complements brown, white and warm gray exteriors and this is the ultimate in teal. A recent study of 30,000 people from 100 countries confirms that a blue-green shade of teal was their favorite color. It's easy to see how this enticing color can add great curb appeal to a home.

"Finally, Convivial Yellow. As many people know, yellow is often associated with happiness, sunshine and joy --- all positive things. The paler, more approachable shade of yellow found in Convivial Yellow will certainly welcome guests to a home and set it apart in the neighborhood."

Smith relates that homes do not need to be "blanketed" with a specific color, but that subtle splashes of color can be quite effective. From potted flowers reflecting the color tones to home accents, curb appeal starts by creating visually-appealing areas of the home exterior.

"Shutters, window trim, front doors and louvers are all the first, most obvious places to add 'pop out' curb appeal color to a home exterior," says Smith. "These are fast, easy and eye-catching areas of the home that can help really benefit from the addition of color."

Smith recommends working with a polyurethane trim manufacturer, such as Nu-WoodTM, that can provide decorative home exterior pieces in any color imaginable. "This company can paint pieces in their factory in any one of 9,000 Sherwin-Williams® Company colors plus in custom colors," says Smith. "That can give you the opportunity to select subtle shades of red, teal or yellow, or your favorite colors, to accent your home."

According to Randy Miller at Nu-Wood, having the color applied to decorative millwork polyurethane pieces inside the factory assures a clean, even coat with no flaws. "Because the paint is applied in a sterile setting and cured in an oven, there's no chance of getting outdoor dust, insects or airborne debris particles attaching themselves to the wet paint, as can happen in jobsite paint jobs," says Miller, director of sales for Nu-Wood, a Jasper Plastics Company. "In addition, the 'out of the box, onto the house' application of the color-painted products speeds up the installation process, saving time and money on the jobsite."

Additional benefits of using polyurethane pieces on home exteriors are substantial for homeowners. The pieces are rot-, moisture-, mold-, insect- and impact-resistant and will not crack, absorb water or swell. Lightweight and easy to install, Nu-Wood pieces come in a wide variety of shutters, door and window trim, louvers, mouldings and brackets.

5 Homeowner Resources for National Curb Appeal Month

To commemorate National Curb Appeal Month in August, DaVinci Roofscapes, a leading manufacturer of composite slate and shake roofing tiles, has compiled a list of five top curb appeal resources for homeowners.

 "Summertime is the perfect point in the year to make improvements to your home exterior," says Michael Cobb, vice president of sales and marketing at DaVinci Roofscapes. "The first step is to carefully look at your home from the 'top down' to see what can be done to enhance its appearance and overall value."

Cobb reminds homeowners that the roof can sometimes offer as much as 40 percent of the visibility on a home exterior. "Take a fast look at your home and you'll most likely see that the roof plays the largest part of your curb appeal view," says Cobb. "If your roof is in poor shape --- if it's missing tiles or has curling shingles --- that makes a negative impact on the overall curb appeal of your home.

"A new roof, with colors that complement your entire home exterior, can make a positive impact on your home's curb appeal and value. Just imagine a new, low-maintenance composite slate roof on your home with a blend of different shades of gray that sets off the rest of your home. It's a stunning way to add more color and style to a home."

If it's time to consider a new roof for your home, experts at DaVinci Roofscapes recommend these five free resources to get educated on re-roofing options that can increase the curb appeal of your house:

Upgrade Your Roofing from This Old House - easy-to-understand online tutorial of the structure of the roof, options for roofing tiles and environmental considerations. https://cdn.app.compendium.com/uploads/user/42f13695-e8a5-4663-9869-0c56fd488758/50a59162-6047-4435-9a0f-5bd05ae221a3/File/c3fa9ef8394960d7b6d219d9bae88602/toh_ebook_davinci_11_24_final_smaller.pdf

Top Down ColorTM Visualizer - online tool allows you to upload pictures of your home exterior or use images of 10 supplied home styles. Tool lets you quickly make and see changes to roofing materials and colors, along with adjustments to the home's siding, accessories, doors and windows trim. www.davinciroofscapes.com/color/designer

FRESH Home Exteriors Color Guide - online guidebook featuring "5 Steps for Finding the Perfect Hues for Your Home." Learn the importance of fixed features, regional colors, the environment, style of the home and "have-to-use" colors when considering the overall curb appeal of your home. http://www.davinciroofscapes.com/color/color-books/?media=FRESHHomeExteriorColors

FRESH Color Schemes for Your Home Exterior - online booklet shows step-by-step process for selecting the best exterior color combinations for your home. Tips on adding coordinated color selections for a variety of home styles, including Colonial, Ranch, Bungalow, Victorian, Spanish Mission, European and New American. http://www.davinciroofscapes.com/color/color-books/?media=color-schemes

Tips for Selecting Roofing Products from Allen Lyle with Today's Homeowner with Danny Lipford - overview and tips on selecting roofing materials includes review of features and benefits of composite roofing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bv36eu65rMs

Remember Your Garage During National Curb Appeal Month

Off to work. Picking up the kids. Running errands. What's the one door in your home you're most likely to use the most often every day? The garage door. And, during National Curb Appeal Month in August, experts at Haas Door recommend you take a good look at that "most used" door in the home.

"It's a mistake for homeowners to give their garage door less attention than the front entry or other doors into the home," says Jeffrey Nofziger, president of Haas Door from Wauseon, Ohio. "The garage door is THE door you're in and out of most often every day. And, if your home design features the garage door on the front exterior of your house, then it's extremely important to 'make it work' for you in terms of curb appeal."

According to the 2017 Cost Versus Value Study by Remodeling magazine, a garage door replacement is also a smart investment for a homeowner. At a projected 76.9 percent cost recouped on a mid-range priced home, a new garage door almost pays for itself over time.

Nofziger suggests that a garage door should serve as an extension of a home's style and personality. With options available ranging from decorative glass windows to hardware accessories to unique colors, a wide variety of ways exist to personalize a garage door.                       

To assist homeowners in envisioning how different types of garage doors can add to the overall curb appeal of a home, Haas Door offers a free design tool called HaasCreate. In just a few steps, the online visualizer tool, located at www.haascreate.com, allows you to upload a photo of a home and outline the existing garage area. An app for the iPad, which doesn't require an internet connection to use, is also available for free at the Apple store.

HaasCreate helps to instantly create a new garage door with different styles, options and colors at your fingertips. For those people without an existing picture of their home, they can choose from sample home images. Personal product selections --- including a garage door style, color, windows, overlay colors, trim colors, handles and accessories --- allows the user to customize a garage door that enhances the home exterior.

"Whether selecting a rich wood grain finish like American Walnut or English Oak, or a colorful contemporary finish like Sahara Tan or Cool Black, the garage door can easily be created to complement the overall design of a home exterior," says Nofziger. "The HaasCreate app puts design creativity at your fingertips."

Tips for Enhancing A Home's Curb Appeal

Never underestimate the power of curb appeal. A whopping 99 percent of National Association of Realtors members believe it's important in attracting a buyer.

August is National Curb Appeal Month, and the perfect time for homeowners to make upgrades. Whether repairs enhance form, function or both, homeowners should select projects that will improve quality of life now, and add value when it comes time to sell.

To take a "top down" approach, start with the roof. You can get 68.8 percent of your cost recouped from this investment when reselling a mid-ranged priced home, according to the "2017 Cost Versus Value Study" from Remodeling Magazine. Plus, it's a big impact project with long-lasting value, especially if you choose low maintenance, high-quality materials. For example, the composite slate and shake roof offerings at DaVinci Roofscapes are durable and impact- and fire-resistant. To view colors or customize your own blend, visit www.davinciroofscapes.com/color/designer.

Don't neglect garage doors. Styles, surface treatments, colors and other options can vary considerably, so be sure you're boosting curb appeal when making this upgrade. For example, the American Tradition Series at Haas Door can give your home a carriage house look. Use HaasCreate, the online visualizer tool available at Haascreate.com to upload a photo of your home and compare options visually. Another reason to replace the garage door? It offers a 76.9 percent return on investment, according to the "Cost Versus Value" study.

Add aesthetic appeal from the street while making life more comfortable indoors. Consider installing acrylic block or decorative glass privacy windows in living spaces, bathrooms and hallways. For simple installation, consider Hy-Lite, which offers pre-framed, ready-to-install options, as well as the opportunity to retrofit some products to meet your specifications.

Boost beauty by adding shutters, along with decorative trim to doors and windows. Be sure products are moisture-, insect- and rot-resistant so they don't prove to be more trouble than they're worth. Low maintenance polyurethane options, such as the thousands of pieces available from Nu-Wood, replicate the look and feel of wood and are easy to install.

Don't forget to evaluate any columns you may have on your porch or front of your home. To get long-term beauty and performance, use sturdy products that are structurally certified. For example, the sturdy posts from Woodtone RealPost are manufactured from premium selected Western SPF and are warranted against warping, twisting and joint separation.

Accent walls are not just for interiors. Manufactured stone veneer siding can be an attractive way to boost curb appeal and add value to a home. Indeed, you can recoup an estimated 89.4 percent of the cost of this investment when reselling your home. Consider surrounding a chimney wall exterior, half wall or wainscot application. For an easy-to-install option, look at the mortarless styles and colors available by ClipStone.

Make the most of National Curb Appeal Month with a top-down approach that offers you beauty, better living and bang for your buck.

Top Trends for Upgrading Your Outdoor Space

No matter the season or the region, outdoor living is hot. As spring approaches, here are six of the top trends that will influence the look, feel and function of outdoor spaces in 2016.

Outdoor rooms: Thanks to advances in all-weather materials, furnishings and accessories, you can outfit an outdoor living space in much the same way that you would any room in the home. As a result, expect to see decks with features such as integrated benches with upholstered cushions, privacy walls and ornamental post caps and railings with decorative balusters similar to those found inside the home.

Railings that rule: Another outdoor element that's being influenced by indoor styling is deck railings. When it comes to selecting the best railing for your outdoor space, design experts recommend using one of the "Three C's" – coordinate, contrast or customize. To make the selection process even easier, Trex, the world's largest manufacturer of high-performance wood-alternative decking and railing, recently introduced a set of curated railings that pair beautifully with the brand's most popular decking colors.

Cooking with class: Americans have taken backyard cooking and dining to a whole new level. Heading into the outdoor living season, expect this trend to continue with increasingly functional outdoor kitchens complete with cooking islands, pizza ovens, refrigerators and all-weather cabinetry and storage features.

Warming features: One of the hottest trends – literally – for 2016 is the incorporation of warming features into outdoor spaces. From candles and tiki torches to fireplaces and lighting, products that lend physical and ambient warmth will be in high demand. Look for increased use of LED lights integrated into deck railings, stairs and yards as homeowners seek to enhance the ambiance and safety of their outdoor space and extend the time they can spend enjoying it.

High-tech decks: Home automation is hugely popular right now, so it's only natural that the tech trend should migrate outdoors. From lighting and music controlled from a smart phone to motorized rear-projection screens synced to outdoor LED televisions, homeowners are now able to bring their entire entertainment system outdoors.

Leisure without the labor: For those that want to spend more time enjoying, rather than maintaining, their outdoor space, high-performance composite decking, such as Trex Transcend, is an ideal choice – delivering all the beauty and aesthetics of wood without the time-consuming upkeep. Unlike wood, composite decking, resists fading, staining, scratching and mold – and won't rot, warp, crack or splinter.

For more outdoor living tips and ideas, visit trex.com.

5 tips for creating fall curb appeal

 Soon, all things pumpkin spice will be here, including the home visitors that bring them. In preparation of the door bell ringing, create a little spice of your own with some seasonal curb appeal. You don’t have to limit yourself to pumpkins and hay bales — below are tips and projects for sprucing up your home’s view from the curb this season.

Front door, first impressions
Your front door is one of the first things people notice about your home. Give your door a fresh face with a coat of paint in a bold fall color to draw the eye to this focal point of your home.
Another project is to replace the door entirely. Consider options with decorative glass accents, and stunning sidelights (windows on either side of the door) to add more natural light while maintaining a sense of style and privacy. Plus, as temperatures start to drop, Energy Star -qualified entry doors, like those from Pella, will help maintain your home’s energy efficiency. For entry door inspiration check out Pinterest, your resident showroom or your local home improvement store.

Accessorize with new hardware
Replace your front door hardware for a quick, easy facelift. Choose hardware finishes that compliment light fixtures, mailbox and house numbers for a polished, cohesive look. You’ll be delightfully surprised what a difference new hardware can make in creating an updated look to your home.

Refresh exterior body and trim colors
For a dramatic change, repaint your home’s exterior. It’s bold and can make your home stand out from other homes on the block. Not up for the bold change? To make an impact with a smaller change, add new trim colors. When updating trim, choose color schemes that match your home’s primary exterior color, or complement it with a fresh twist.

Create points of interest with plants
You don’t have to stop enjoying beautiful plants and flowers simply because summer is over. Add pops of color by arranging pots filled with hearty fall flowers like mums, sedum or asters around your front door, or on a porch or deck. Incorporate planters or container gardens of varied sizes, shapes and colors to add visual interest.

Accent with lighting
As summer light fades into shorter, darker days, add exterior accent lighting to the front of your home. Illuminate a walking path with ground-insert solar lights. Or consider solar spotlights to bring out landscaping or to shine on your updated front door. Install matching light fixtures outside your front door, garage door or patio door to provide well-lit entrances that are stylish and inviting to neighbors and guests.

For more curb appeal inspiration, follow Pella on Pinterest and Houzz and visit Pella.com to connect with your local Pella representative for ideas on how to transform the look and comfort of your home inside and out.

5 Ways to Increase Curb Appeal, Value

Whether you're planning to list your home for sale soon or you're simply working to maintain features that attracted you to the charming abode in the first place, careful attention to curb appeal is a must.

In the real estate world, the saying to avoid judging a book by its cover does not apply. The exterior of your home sends an important message about its character, and even its value, making people eager to see what is inside. This first impression sets expectations for the entire property for potential buyers, appraisers and even your guests.

Keep your house looking young and inviting with these five home care tips:

1. Look at the landscaping. Curb appeal is about the whole picture your home presents, which includes your lawn, shrubs and features such as flower beds and rock gardens. Keep grass neatly trimmed and prune vegetation for a well-kept look. Also give your home a thorough look from the street. Are trees or shrubs obscuring an appealing architectural detail? Does vegetation dwarf your home, making it seem small? Would a pop of color from some flowering plants add to the overall look?
2. Beware of dingy dirt. Because you see your home every day, you may not realize the exterior has become dull with a layer of dust and dirt. An adjustable pressure washer with Briggs & Stratton POWERflow+ technology will let you wash siding, garage doors and shutters without stripping paint as well as delicate items such as glass top patio tables. Then switch to the high flow mode, which delivers up to five gallons per minute for extended reach to clean second story windows, eaves and gutters or to blast away hard-to-reach cobwebs and insect nests.
3. Update with paint. If a thorough washing leaves a ho-hum look behind, it may be time to revisit your home's exterior color scheme. Even modest adjustments, from pale beige to a deeper tan, for example, can completely alter the look. Or, focus on adding color to the trim, door and shutters if new, all-over color is out of the question.
4. Wash where you walk. The favorable impression created by impeccable landscaping and a fresh, clean facade can be swept away in an instant if sidewalks, driveways and patios are unsightly. Skip the messy buckets and brush, and instead reach for a high pressure, high flow pressure washer such as those featuring Briggs & Stratton's POWERflow+ technology, which include adjustable pressure and flow as well as power-soaping detergent tanks to let you clean tough stains then quickly wash them away with a single machine.
5. Dote on the details. Decks, fences, mailboxes, birdbaths, gazebos and other decorative features all factor into your home's exterior image. Thoroughly clean these items, repair any loose or broken pieces such as fence slats, and apply a fresh coat of paint or stain, if needed.

Experts Rate Curb Appeal and Staging as Best Home Improvement Projects for Sellers

New Zillow Digs Survey of Real Estate Agents and Interior Designers Finds Homeowners Should Avoid Costly Renovations Prior To Listing Their Home For Sale

SEATTLE -- Today's home sellers should focus on curb appeal and home staging above larger-scale home renovations, according to a new survey[i] from Zillow Digs®. Zillow asked real estate agents and interior designers nationwide to identify the most valuable home improvements for sellers, and the experts agree that minor improvements like landscaping and painting walls in neutral colors save money and attract buyers faster.

Agents agree that sellers should avoid costly projects prior to listing their home, as the increased sale price may not outweigh the time and money spent on the remodel. Instead, agents and designers recommend spending money on minor renovations that will bring the home up to current market standards while also appealing to the broadest number of potential buyers.

"Buyers have more homes to choose from this year, compared to last year," said Amy Bohutinsky, Zillow chief marketing officer and guest judge on NBC's new reality show American Dream Builders.  "And in a crowded market, sellers should prioritize spending time and money on upgrades that have mass appeal. Home buyers don't want to feel as if they are paying top-dollar for someone else's decorating style. An inviting exterior and landscape, fresh paint in neutral colors, and clutter-free spaces will always appeal to a broad range of tastes."

Zillow Digs Survey Reveals Top 5 Projects for Home Sellers

Curb Appeal: Creating a strong first impression is imperative as buyers begin making assumptions about a home well before they step inside. "A clean entrance can go a long way toward establishing a positive first impression," said Zillow Agent Advisory Board member, Cyndi Lesinski of Valencia, Calif. Lesinski recommends adding "fresh potted flowers to increase the life and energy of the entrance." Another tip is to simply add a fresh coat of paint to the front door. Black, dark charcoal and tasteful reds such as burgundy or cranberry are currently the most popular front door colors on Zillow Digs. These colors bring tasteful exuberance to the home without being too overbearing for potential buyers.

Staging: A home stager can skillfully identify ways to highlight your home's best features and compensate for its shortcomings. The goal is to make "your home appeal to the broadest audience and number of buyers possible," says Zillow Digs Board of Designers member Mara Miller of Carrier and Company in New York City. When staging, remove all personal belongings and avoid colors or furniture that are too style-specific – neutral colors and minimal furniture are best. "Attempting to decorate may not be the best use of your time and dollars," says Miller.

Invest in Small Home Improvements:  Both agents and designers agree that sellers should never invest in a major renovation before selling. No matter how out-of-date a home is, "major renovations prior to sale usually will not equal a dollar-for-dollar return, and the time invested outweighs selling it faster," says Zillow Agent Advisory Board member Chris Speicher, of The Speicher Group and RE/MAX in Washington, D.C. Instead, sellers should spend time and money on smaller updates that will bring the home up to market value. These kinds of projects include updating lighting fixtures, cabinet or door handles, and minor kitchen and bathroom updates.

Declutter: This sounds simple, but according to Zillow experts, it's the one of the most important things a homeowner should do before selling. A clean house feels more spacious and helps buyers easily envision themselves in the home. "Nothing trumps the aesthetic of a clean and cared-for home," says Zillow Digs Board of Designers member Kerrie Kelly of Kerrie Kelly Design Lab inSacramento, Calif. "Old appliances and furniture can be overlooked if a space is clean, simple and well-edited."

Granite Countertops and Stainless Steel Appliances: Most buyers are still requesting "granite countertops and stainless steel appliances," says Zillow Agent Advisory Board member Bic DeCaro of Westgate Realty Group in Falls Church, Va. Keep in mind that most "high-end finishes don't equal high-end returns," says DeCaro. However, incorporating granite and new appliances can help catch a buyer's eye.

Launched in 2013, Zillow Digs is Zillow's home improvement marketplace where home shoppers and homeowners can find visual inspiration and understand the real cost of remodeling projects. Users can browse over 640,000 photos and see Zillow's proprietary Digs Estimates for the estimated cost, based on where they live, of the actual bathrooms and kitchens they are viewing. They can create, save and share Boards of ideas they love, comment on photos and follow people with similar interests.