The Different Ways You Can Improve Your Frontenac House to Attain Maximum Value

The inner circle suburb of Frontenac offers its residents an opulent, luxury-laden lifestyle with few equals in and around St. Louis. Exceptional schools, an outstanding shopping and restaurant scene, and a central location close-but-not-too-close to the heart of St. Louis' electric downtown district.

 

Though all of the above proves an irresistible draw for current and future residents, the most stunning aspect of this community of just under 4,000 residents is its homes. Featuring some of the region's most gorgeous, sought-after residential real estate, properties carry a commanding presence.

 

From beautiful, multi-acre estates showcasing Colonial, French and Mediterranean architecture to more modest but no less impressive large-lot contemporary homes, there's a level of luxury available for any taste or lifestyle.

 

As the owner of an esteemed Frontenac residence, a lucrative reward awaits you should it ever come time to sell. Of course, if you are selling or have plans to do it within the next six months to a year, an obvious question is, can you earn even more with your sale?

 

The answer is yes if you're willing to commit time, money, and effort to a handful of simple yet highly lucrative home improvements. Based on the specific goals for your sale, updates could include small-scale touch-ups or a few larger-scale upgrades. Or even a bit of both.

 

There is always room to boost your ROI, even within the walls of your gorgeous Frontenac home. Below, we explore how you can improve your Frontenac house to attain maximum value.

 

We begin with one of the more surprising aspects of value-add endeavors—cleanliness. It might not be an upgrade in the truest sense of the word, but few projects will boost the perceived value of your Frontenac home more than a property-wide clean and declutter.

 

Of particular importance if listing your property is on the horizon, cleaning is more than just scrubbing floors and wiping countertops. Cleaning, decluttering, and the additional steps of depersonalization and staging work wonders for your property's presence. Each stage of the process breathes new life into your home's interior aesthetics--from the feeling of a fresh, clean space to the cohesion and movement of a property devoid of clutter and filled with natural light.

 

Surveys of real estate agents reflect a desire from home buyers that the homes they tour be move-in ready. Not when they close, but from the first moment they step foot in them. A pristine, polished residence will boost buyers' opinion of your listing more than practically any other aspect of their search. There's a lot to be said for a house where buyers can walk through the door and feel it's where they can make their home.

 

If selling is the ultimate goal, cleaning, decluttering and staging is necessary. To increase your home's value even more, consider changes that promote natural light and more space. New window treatments, updated lighting fixtures and a new paint scheme are small, nominal changes with a massive upside at closing.

 

Impressive as Frontenac real estate may be, many buyer decisions come down to the look and feel of just a few rooms. In fact, at this level of luxury, not much separates the bedrooms, dining rooms, or general living spaces of one house from another. The kitchen is an area that does matter and significantly impacts a property's overall value.

 

Often considered the unofficial heart of a home, many Frontenac kitchens fulfill the role with aplomb. The kitchen is a central gathering space for the area's high-end, million-dollar estates. Equal parts functional and fabulous, these spaces fulfill multiple purposes: professional-grade cooking space, cozy family hub, and extravagant entertainment space.

 

Within Frontenac's more modest home, the kitchen still earns top billing, often the room that makes or breaks a listing reaching its full asking price. As such, it's critical to recognize your kitchen's ability to add more value to your home.

 

Even near-perfect kitchens grow dated or lose their luster over time. For these instances, assuming you're already working with a favorable layout well-integrated into the home, you can earn significant ROI with nothing more than a minor kitchen remodel. By no means fancy, those good bones are easily strengthened with a combination of new cabinet and drawer fronts with updated hardware, new energy-efficient appliances, including oven/range and refrigerator, new mid-tier faucet and sink, and fresh paint throughout the space.

 

Stretch the renovation further with new countertops, backsplash and flooring to set the kitchen apart from others on the market. Depending on the updates, expect to spend $15,000 on the low end up to $25,000 or more with an ROI above 70%.

 

Add to that the desirability of Frontenac real estate, and the ROI earns an even bigger boost. For comparison, major kitchen renovations can be costly, in the range of $150,000, and only return half of the investment.

 

Of course, if yours is an already standout meal prep and entertainment space, simple upgrades are more than enough. Look for opportunities to add pop and a little swagger to the proceedings. Fresh paint, new lighting, hardware and fixtures make a notable impact for a nominal cost. Toss in a new kitchen sink and backsplash for an added wow factor. Go bolder and swap tired cabinet fronts for a new set, or stick with updating the appliances. You'll be impressed with the positive difference such a straightforward swap can make.

 

One of the first things newcomers notice when entering Frontenac is the landscape. The area's stately, rural-like surroundings wonderfully hide the fact the town is adjacent to Interstate 64 and is less than a 20-minute drive from downtown St. Louis. Exploring the neighborhood further takes on an otherworldly experience for unsuspecting home shoppers. It's a primary reason your Frontenac home's curb appeal plays a central role in attaining maximum value when it comes time to sell.

 

For any home, potential buyers judge the listing long before they step foot inside. It may not seem fair, but the initial impression, often established via the online listing, carries a lot of weight when they physically tour the property. To ensure you are ahead with every potential buyer, freshen up your home's exterior.

 

Assessing the property exterior, consider your surroundings. Should anything be amiss with your landscaping, it stands out like a sore thumb. Again, simple projects like clearing dead leaves and fallen tree limbs, trimming back any overgrowth, and adding color and depth with seasonal flowers greatly impact a buyer's perception of your home. Similarly, power washing sidewalks, driveways, patios, and decks are low-cost efforts that add high-dollar value to your home.

 

To be sure, there's no need to try and win Frontenac yard of the month. Your aim is to ensure your home complements the beautiful community surroundings. You want to give buyers a positive vibe before walking into your residence, one they carry throughout their tour.

Finally, buyers can sometimes prove a difficult bunch to impress. When every available listing offers its own brand of spectacular, it's a challenge to pinpoint what attracts the right buyer beyond standard upgrades and improvements.

 

To remove some of the guesswork, partner with a knowledgeable local real estate agent and work with them to identify current trends in the overall St. Louis luxury market and the Frontenac submarket. Once you identify what's popular with buyers and which recently upgraded comps they've been willing to pay a premium for, you can target any improvements to meet those demands.

 

For example, if recent sales reflect a desire for dedicated spaces such as an office or home gym, have you done enough to highlight those areas of your home? And if you don't have the specific rooms, is there a spare bedroom or den that could be staged to show off the property's flexibility to meet those needs?

 

What about the always-popular need for more space or functional in-home tech? Have you done enough to showcase the potential of an unfinished basement? Or staged your home to reduce excess clutter in closets and cabinets or on built-ins? Or highlight your home's inclusion of smart thermostats, door locks or security systems?

 

Or is there an area often overlooked as a homeowner that becomes important during the sale process that needs touching up? A prime example is updating bathrooms with new lighting, fixtures, hardware, and even new flooring, tub, and shower surround.

 

Seek out those intangibles that matter most to Frontenac home buyers and ensure your making the improvements that ensure your home achieves maximum value.

 

Is it time to take the next step in your real estate journey and list your Frontenac home for sale? Contact Mary Beth Benes at The Benes Group today and allow her years of experience and expertise to help you navigate Greater St. Louis' luxury real estate market.

_{*Header photo courtesy of The Benes Group}