The fact is that a home isn’t just a place where you relax and enjoy yourself — it’s also an investment. One of the reasons why people buy houses versus renting them is because they’re hoping to have a long-term investment, something they can potentially, in the future, sell or rent in order to make a profit. Of course, that doesn’t mean you can’t place your own unique touches on your home and enjoy it. By all means, don’t act as if you have to treat your house as if it’s made out of glass the entire time you live there. There are simple ways in which you can increase your home’s value, while the same time decorating it and living in it the way you want to; for that matter, many of these improvements may help you enjoy your home to the fullest while you’re there. Of course, this doesn’t just apply to the house itself, but to the property it’s on. Often, some of the most valuable additions or touches can be put on the property surrounding the house, rather than within it. Below, we’ll look into a few ways that you can add value to your home. Whether you’re considering a dual fuel furnace or simply investing in lawn beautification, you can turn your home from just another stop along the way, to the most valuable property in your neighborhood.

1. Add A Dual Fuel Furnace

Outdoor furnaces are perhaps some of the most visually subtle, yet important additions you can make to your home. They aren’t immediately noticeable when someone is looking at your property — but they’ll certainly feel the difference during the cold winter months. Typically an outdoor dual fuel furnace will be found, as the name suggests, separate from the house. The distance between your house and a duel fuel furnace would probably be between twenty and thirty feet. Some also have the ability to heat multiple buildings — not just your home, but a garage, shed, workshop, you name it! Of course, there are plenty of other advantages to adding a dual fuel furnace on to your home. They’re cost-effective, with homeowners who cut their own wood or obtain free wood being able to seriously cut down on or even eliminate their fuel costs. It’s estimated that over a 10 year period, you could save anywhere from $10,000 to $50,000 with this kind of addition. Of course, wood furnaces are fairly popular, with about 200,000 being in use right now, and seen as a benefit to most homes. But they’re not so popular that people can find them anywhere, and they’ll certainly make your property different and more valuable.

2. Create A Beautiful Lawn

There’s something of a difference between a yard and a lawn. The word “yard” implies the bare minimum expected, a patch of ground but not much else. A lawn is something bright and beautiful and clean, ideally an expanse of grass that’s well-maintained. Of course, it can be difficult to turn your yard into a beautiful lawn. But there are many options through which you can do so, often with the help of professional landscapers. And while a lawn may not seem like a dealbreaker, it’s a proven way to add value to your home — and impress your neighbors. As a matter of fact, surveys have shown that 83% of Americans believe that having a yard is important, and 90% of those with a yard believe that it’s important to keep it well-maintained.

3. Get Creative With Landscaping

Of course, it’s not always enough to simply work on your lawn. People also want to see some creative landscaping, especially when it comes to things like hedges, flowers, and even trees. But this can be a difficult task to take on, especially when you’re still a bit of a beginning. Not all plants work together well, and it’s important to work with a professional — but as landscaping can add as much as 14% to your home’s value, it’s worth doing.