Family in front of home for sale.

With housing values on the rise in many areas, you may be thinking about selling or updating your own property. Whether you're planning on entering the real estate market or you simply want to make your personal space more functional and enjoyable for you, here are some things you can do to improve the value of your home.

1. Make Your Kitchen Flow

Most buyers see the kitchen as the heart of the home and will want to see this area first in a showing. It's important to have a cooking area that's clean and updated. While you could do a complete remodel, taking the time to update fixtures, replace the faucet, and install energy efficient lighting will go a long way. If there's more room in your budget, you can look at resurfacing cabinets, and replacing your counter tops and flooring with coordinated materials.

2. Boost Your Curb Appeal

Landscaping can go a long way in making a good first impression on potential buyers. It can be as easy as adding some colorful flowers to your planters, or freshening up your mulch. Making sure your is lawn well-groomed, trees and bushes are pruned, and your walkway is swept adds to the appeal of a home on that first drive-by.

3. Keep Up on Maintenance

For the most part, buyers today favor houses that are in the best possible shape. Take steps to make your property as low maintenance as possible. A few hundred dollars to upgrade old wiring and plumbing could add a few thousand to the value of your home.

4.Create Open Floor Space

In today's market, open floor plans are the preferred style. Do what you can to create space and flow in your home. If you have more than enough storage in your kitchen, you may want to remove large islands. Sometimes, knocking down a non-structural wall can open up a living area.

5. Brighten Up Your Home

Bring light into your home. Updating your lighting with dimmer switches, recessed lighting in areas like the kitchen, and fresh new fixtures can brighten your spaces. Depending on the room and the mood you want to create, use higher watt bulbs to make an area feel larger and soft lights for warmth.

6. Go Green

Increased energy efficiency in your home can be a key selling point these days. Taking simple steps like adding a layer of insulation to the attic and using LED lighting may give your home an edge over other places for sale in the area. If you have an older furnace or water heater, you may want to consider updating them with new, energy saving equipment.

7. Give Your Bathroom a Makeover

Bathrooms can be almost as important as the kitchen to upgrade. You don't have to go crazy to freshen up this room. By applying a fresh coat of paint, updating fixtures, and cleaning up the grout, you can refresh your space. Additional low cost fixes include a new toilet seat or a low-flush toilet.

8. Spruce Up Your Floors

You want to ensure your floors are looking their best. If you have carpeting, have it professionally cleaned or rent a carpet cleaner to freshen it up. Replace any cracked tiles and repair damaged floorboards. You may choose to replace tired old flooring. In today's market, think about hard wood or engineered wood flooring.

9. Apply a Fresh Coat of Paint

If you have chipping or cracked paint, do some touch up. Clean, well-maintained walls add to eye appeal. When it's necessary to apply a fresh coat, go with neutral colors. Walls that are white or off-white allow potential buyers to project their personal vision on a space.

10. Update Your Front Entryway

Much like landscaping, your portal makes an important impression on potential buyers. Little things like making sure your doorbell is functioning properly and that your door is in good repair go a long way. Make sure your doorway is well maintained and has a sturdy handle and lock. This tells people they're entering a solid home.