When you can’t find a new home to buy it may be worth your while to remodel the won you own. Granted you may pay extreme amounts for lumber and wait months for appliances, but every dime you drop into upgrades should give you a great return on your investment when you sell.  And doing so will make you happier in your new space!  Remodeling magazine has released the key remodeling trends specific to Salt Lake City that will give you a great return on your sweat equity or your cost of hiring contractors. Here’s what’s top of the list:

-Replacing garage doors to electric and /or doors with windows that let in ambient light.

-Adding stone veneer to the exterior of your home’s street-facing façade to give it a different look, using river rock or something local.

-Updating exterior siding. Old siding is wide, sometimes made of asbestos or painted aluminum that chips and fades. Upgrade to less wide planks in more modern materials.

-Minor kitchen remodels. Replace cabinet and drawer fronts if the boxes are of good quality. Update your appliances, sink and fixtures. Or simply add ‘roll outs’ to your cabinets-rolling tracks to pull out to see everything in the cabinet.

-New front door! There are so many choices these days in front entry styles made from wood and/or metal. Make sure you replace the casing around the door and update your locks to a Nest-like system that you can control when you’re not home.

-New roof and add/update your insulation. Plus, instead of large expensive skylights, add solar tubes for ambient light. These tubes are great for when you get up in the middle of the night and must use the toilet but don’t want to flick on bright light.

Now that warmer temperatures are here there are inexpensive things you can do yourself to add sweat equity to your home. I generally suggest these for outside and inside:

-New larger numbers on the exterior of your home. Generally I find that signals to people that you’ve updated and paid attention to details.

-Some type of security camera system and door locks. You can buy these now from discount stores like Costco.

-Closet organizers. One bar to hold your hanged clothes is stupid. Break up that space with at least two bars and maybe but up a found set of drawers to add for extra storage.

-Re-caulking bathroom tile/tubs. New bath fixtures can be inexpensive. Cabinet/drawer pulls can be handmade and artsy or you can buy simple modern ones on the web.

-Wallpaper is back from the grave and is in great designs and colors. Do one wall in your home say in the dining, rec room, kitchen or bedroom as an accent to make your home pop.

-Updating light fixtures. New LED fixtures for your ceiling can cost $30. You don’t ever replace the light bulbs, you replace the fixture several years down the road to the newest design in LED fixtures. Easy peasy!