Carly's Corner

Inexpensive additions to your home can enhance its overall quality.

Selling a home is harder these days, and homeowners are looking for any market advantages. Some sellers pay hundreds of dollars for staging companies to design and construct an ideal living space. Other homeowners repaint entire walls only to find out that the color was a blunder. Don't make these same costly mistakes. Here's a fast and relatively inexpensive list for any homeowner.

1. Install a new "eco-performance" shower head.
Not only does its sleek design add an inviting look to your shower, but it also uses 30 percent less water than a standard shower head while still delivering a strong spray. Seeing is believing, so turn it on!

2. Add gutter extensions to your down spouts.
Yes, gutter extensions really do help in keeping a basement dry. Adding an extension diverts the water four feet from your foundation, causing most of the water to run off into the property grading instead of back into your basement. Plus, a dry basement can increase the value of a home 10 to 15 percent!

3. Install insulating pipe sleeves.
Pre-split and pre-glued insulating pipe sleeves are easily installed on just about any exposed hot or cold water line. For hot water lines, it saves energy, and for cold water lines, it cuts down on pipe sweating.

4. Install plastic wall anchors in exposed picture frame holes.
Many homeowners simply bang a nail or screw into standard drywall to hang a photo. In most cases, this will damage the drywall. Plastic anchor kits allow you to insert the anchor into the drywall hole giving it an instant finished look with more strength.

5. Add a transition seat to your toilet.
New transition toilet seats accommodate adults and children in one efficient seat. This is truly a toilet seat that does double duty!

Even if you're not selling, inexpensive improvements are smart and economical ways to investment in the overall quality and image of your home.