Do window treatments add value?
One of the most subtle factors about a home that can significantly increase its resale value is the interior lighting because that can be very effective at showcasing all the other desirable features of your home. A big part of the overall lighting scheme in your home is how you manage the natural light that comes in from outside, thus illuminating a room and highlighting all the things inside. Apart from the light switches on your wall, the most effective way of controlling the interior lighting is by using window treatments to the best advantage, especially in those rooms that actually have several appealing features to draw attention to.
How much value?
While there really isn’t any formula for calculating just how much value window treatments add to any given home, most real estate professionals agree on just which types of treatments add the most value. Basic blinds or shades don’t really contribute significantly to resale value, but something special like plantation shutters really does add value and are generally mentioned in classified ads when present in a home. Even though these kinds of shutters are commonly custom-made to fit the specific windows of a home, they are sometimes removed when a homeowner decides to relocate and sell the home. That should be an indicator of their desirability and value to an individual who chooses to install them.
There are other types of window treatments that also increase the resale value of your home. These would include cellular shades, Roman shades, woven shades, and many kinds of custom-made window treatments because they have been designed and constructed for one specific home. This can be an important factor when you’re selling your home and you’re in direct competition with other homes in the neighborhood or the area. One distinctive feature like this can tip the scales in the eyes of a prospective buyer.
Whenever a situation arises where it becomes a buyer’s market, and prospective homeowners can be very picky about the home they purchase, any small feature that adds appeal just might become the decisive factor in making the sale. Custom window treatments have often been identified as the one feature that helped sway the decision-making of a home buyer because the ideal window treatments were already in place and did not have to be purchased by the home buyer.
Why window treatments add value
There are a couple of different ways that window treatments, especially customized versions, can add significant value to your home. First of all, there’s the aesthetic factor, and some window treatments can actually be quite appealing, for instance, when you talk about Roman shades, cellular shades, plantation shutters, or other kinds of custom-built shutters. These add curb appeal and are very obvious when prospective homeowners tour the inside of a home, given the fact that they are located right at the light source, i.e., the windows of the home.
Then, too, there’s the functional advantage provided by some really good window treatments. Cellular shades, for example, are very good insulators because of the air pockets that are built right into their composition. This kind of strong insulation can lead to savings on utility bills because of the high level of energy efficiency associated with window treatment. In periods of greater cold or heat, that can make a world of difference on your monthly bills, and it can keep more conditioned air inside while allowing less to escape the household.
All this being so, if you’re trying to find a low-cost way of adding major value to your home, you might want to think about adding some custom window treatments. For a relatively minor investment, you could realize a major increase in your home’s value.
