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5 Tips To Your Home Improvement Sweet Spots

September 17, 2019 Your home is your castle, your refuge and—let’s face it—a place where it can be very easy to sink a big chunk of money. Which is why you’re always on the lookout for “sweet spots”:  those home improvements that add comfort, safety or a little zing of style while you’re living in your house and will boost the asking price when it’s time to sell. And if you can find a way to save money on those improvements or cut home expenses at the same time, well that sweet spot just got a little sweeter! Get ready to channel your inner Chip and Joanna Gaines, with these five wallet-friendly tips:

Tip 1. Get a home energy review.

If you’re a resident of Wisconsin, you might qualify for an energy assessment with Focus on Energy (they partner with 107 utilities in the state, so your odds are good!). There is an upfront fee but the assessment will show you where your home is doing well, where you could be doing better and how to cut energy costs—and many of the fixes are easy and affordable like updating lights, sealing up energy-wasting gaps or switching your showerheads. Plus, you might qualify for incentives on bigger ticket items like a money-saving, energy-efficient furnace.

Tip 2. Up your curb appeal—affordably!

When it’s time to sell, home buyers will judge your house in seconds. If it doesn’t look great from the road, they might just keep driving (really!).  And, of course, you deserve some curb appeal too—don’t put in all that effort just for the next owner. To keep costs low, pick perennial plants instead of annuals, swap plants with friends and look on Craig’s list (a little sweat equity could nab you some freebies). To save even more, pick plants that need minimal watering, add a rain barrel, compost and share equipment with neighbors and friends. You’ll save money and help the environment too.

Tip 3. Do it yourself.

Harness the power of YouTube and Google. They’re loaded with home improvement how-tos and there are plenty of repairs and updates that even an amateur can do. Unless you envision lots of do-it-yourself projects in your future, consider renting major tools. You’ll save money on the project, be able to get just the tools you need and won’t have to deal with tool storage and maintenance.

Tip 4. Focus on value.

Check out Remodeling magazine’s Cost vs. Value report. This is an annual snapshot of the improvements that are most likely to give you a payback on your dollar. Their top 2023 recommendation: HVAC conversion and electrification (ok, a bit boring, but great payback!). The home improvement with the worst return: adding an upscale master suite. This isn’t to say you shouldn’t make a dream improvement—hey, it’s your house!—but be aware that it might not make sense financially.

Tip 5. Set up a home improvement savings account.

Save ahead of time and you might not have to take out a loan—or be able to take out a smaller loan. One of the best ways to build the funds you need? Automatic transfers. With a , you can automatically set aside the amount you decide each paycheck and watch your savings grow.  And if a loan is the right choice for you, Summit can see how the you've built up in your home may be able to help you - plus talk through other options to help you find the best fit. You might also be interested in Financial success isn’t how much money you have — it’s feeling good about what you’re doing with the money you have. Here are some tips on how to prioritize your debts and bills, negotiate with creditors and get your late payments back on solid ground. Even in these challenging times, there's  whole lot of good happening! At Summit, we've always believed financial success happens together and that's been truer than ever this past month. Here's what "together" has meant for our community. Navigating finances after college is hard, but you can take it one lesson at a time. Get tips for managing money and paying off student debt after graduation. Navigating finances after college is hard, but you can take it one lesson at a time. Get tips for managing money and paying off student debt after graduation. If you’re not sure if something is a scam, it’s ALWAYS better to act like it could be! Fraudsters are always coming up with creative new ways to steal from you and quick to take advantage of a crisis. Here are some of the most popular recent scams to watch for. With a little planning, you may be able to actually save a little money during the holidays. Check out these tips to keep costs down without missing out on the holiday fun. Some scams go right for your money; others try to get you to part with personal information – like account numbers, Social Security numbers, passwords, and personal identification numbers (PINs). Find out what you should look for and how to protect yourself. The holidays can be stressful & that’s why it’s important to prioritize your self-care. Use these tips to reduce stress without draining your bank account. Your home is your castle, your refuge and—let’s face it—a place where it can be very easy to sink a big chunk of money. Which is why you’re always on the lookout for “sweet spots”:  those home improvements that add comfort, safety or a little zing of style while you’re living in your house and will boost the asking price when it’s time to sell. And if you can find a way to save money on those improvements or cut home expenses at the same time, well that sweet spot just got a little sweeter! Featured Products Certificates Checking Accounts Home Equity Loans Home Loans Business Banking Certificates Checking Accounts Home Equity Loans Home Loans Business Banking Financial Education Upcoming Events Programs Tools & Calculators On-demand Webinars Podcasts Upcoming Events Programs Tools & Calculators On-demand Webinars Podcasts About Equity in Money™ About Summit Careers News Community Giving Equity in Money™ About Summit Careers News Community Giving Help & Support Contact Us Member Support Center Schedule an Appointment Find a Branch Contact Us Member Support Center Schedule an Appointment Find a Branch Please read the following before proceeding to: The website you are about to visit is solely the responsibility of the merchant or other party providing the site. The content of this third-party site, including materials and information, is solely the responsibility of the provider of the site. The Credit Union is not responsible for any such third-party content. Any transactions that you enter into with a vendor, merchant or other party that you access through this third-party site are solely between you and that vendor, merchant or other party. The Credit Union does not endorse the content contained in this third-party site, nor the organization publishing the site, and hereby disclaims any responsibility for such content. The Credit Union Privacy Policy does not apply to this third-party site, and for further information you should consult the privacy disclosures of the third-party site. NCUA Insurance Estimator Privacy, Security & Accessibility Rates, Fees, Terms & Disclosures Routing Number *  The Wisconsin's #1 Mortgage Lender designation is based on the number of loans in 2022, gathered from the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data compiled annually by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The results of the data were obtained through the LEI: 254900NTAC4H10MGSU23 **  SBA Lender of the Year Award for Credit Unions as awarded by the Small Business Administration of Wisconsin in 2023. Copyright 2024 © Summit Credit Union. All rights reserved. If you are using a screen reader and are having problems using this website, please call 608-243-5000 for assistance. Insured by NCUA