Increase Your Home Resale Value with These Top Flooring Options

Home remodeling projects are the perfect endeavor to increase your home’s resale value. Enjoy the fruits of your labors by making simple renovations and updates to your home.

If you want to impress potential buyers, then why not start with your floors? Although the market can be competitive for home sellers, installing the right types of flooring in your home could be the investment that makes it stand out to potential buyers.

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So, which flooring options will boost your home resale value and give you the best bang for your buck? Below, we’ll explore the most sought-after flooring options by homebuyers and provide a few profitable home remodeling projects to tackle.

Best Types of Flooring to Increase Your Home Value

While choosing new flooring for your home is an exciting process, it can also be a little daunting. There are now a staggering number of flooring products on the market, with each type coming in a variety of styles, colors, textures and patterns.

To pile on even more pressure, you also need to carefully balance your family’s current needs in a flooring product with the desire of potential homebuyers. Where do you even begin?

To make choosing the ideal flooring for your home a little easier, we’ve compiled a few of the best flooring options that are known for providing the best return on investment for homeowners. It also doesn’t hurt that these flooring options come with plenty of benefits that your family will love.

1. Solid Hardwood

If you want the best bang for your buck, hardwood floors may be the best flooring option for your home. While the true ROI of flooring can be notoriously difficult to measure, real estate experts estimate that homeowners can recover around 106 percent of their costs by installing new hardwood floors in their home before selling.

Solid hardwood is a type of hardwood that is constructed from 100 percent solid lumber and then milled into a specific thickness and width. The result is a beautiful hardwood floor in which no two pieces are exactly alike. 

Why homebuyers will love it: Other than perhaps engineered hardwood floors, there are few flooring options that can rival the charm and timeless style of a solid hardwood floor. With their classic design and ability to be refinished repeatedly, it’s no surprise that homebuyers are willing to pay more for a home that features solid hardwood floors.

Thinking about installing hardwood before putting your home on the market? Check out our hardwood selection guide to discover the wide range of hardwood species that will boost your home’s style and charm. 

2. Engineered Hardwood

Another type of hardwood floor you should consider is engineered hardwood floors. Since engineered and solid hardwood floors offer a comparable ROI for homeowners, the choice between the two often comes down to personal preference and needs.

While both types of hardwood floors are made from 100 percent hardwood, engineered wood is constructed in layers of wood veneers. This cross-layer construction gives engineered hardwood the same beauty and charm of solid hardwood while making it more resistant to humidity.

Why homebuyers will love it: Virtually indistinguishable from solid hardwood in appearance, engineered hardwood floors will give your home that “wow” factor that will ensnare homebuyers the moment they step through the door. The top layer of veneer also comes in a wide variety of wood species, so you can be sure to choose a design that works perfectly in both traditional and contemporary spaces.

3. Waterproof Flooring 

Searching for a beautiful flooring option that can stand up to your busy household? Look no further than waterproof flooring. The ultimate combination of beauty and practicality, waterproof flooring is the ideal solution for moisture-heavy areas of your home, such as the kitchen, laundry room or basement.

Waterproof floors are now available in a vast array of flooring types, styles, brands and price ranges. Want to install real hardwood in your home? Raintree flooring offers waterproof hardwood flooring products that offer the timeless beauty of hardwood with the performance of vinyl flooring. Thinking about going with luxury vinyl flooring in a distressed wood look? Discover our Metroflor Engage Genesis series and find an incredible range of waterproof vinyl flooring with realistic wood visuals.

From real hardwood to LVT, the waterproof flooring options for your home are endless. Best of all, you can easily find a waterproof floor to match your budget and style.

Why homebuyers will love it: Who wouldn’t be thrilled to buy a home with waterproof flooring? Low-maintenance and durable, waterproof floors are essentially a hassle-proof flooring option for the modern family.

If you choose to invest in real hardwood floors with a waterproof core (i.e., Raintree), you can easily raise the value of your home and help it sell faster. Even LVT, which offers a realistic wood look at a fraction of the cost of real hardwood, is sure to make a lasting impression on future homebuyers.

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4. Laminate Flooring

If it doesn’t make sense for you to invest in solid hardwood floors, you can always choose laminate flooring for your home instead. Laminate floors imitate the look of charm and timeless beauty of real wood at a reduced cost.

Laminate flooring is made from melamine resin and fiber board material. It’s comprised of multiple layers, with the top layer featuring an imprinted image of wood that makes it appear similar to that of real wood. Of course, nothing can replicate the unique aesthetic and charm of real wood. However, due to advancements in embossing flooring technology, laminate can get pretty darn close, with texturing and realistic design. 
 

Why homebuyers will love it: Laminate flooring is well-known for its low maintenance and ability to withstand high amounts of traffic. It’s resistant to staining, indentation and scratches, making it one of the more popular pet-friendly flooring options for homeowners in particular. 

If you choose the right laminate flooring design, homebuyers will also appreciate its incredible design. Laminate flooring now comes in a variety of styles that appear like popular wood species (such as cherry, oak, hickory, etc.) and several finishes (from high gloss to distressed) to enhance the style of your home design.

5. Vinyl Plank and Tile Flooring

Vinyl plank and tile floors are comparable to laminate floors in terms of their affordability, durability and ease of maintenance. However, there are a few key differences between the two that you’ll want to carefully consider.

Vinyl planks and tiles mimic the look of real wood and stone. But unlike laminate floors, vinyl planks and tiles are constructed of cores with varied composite materials and levels of pliability that can overcome subfloor imperfections. 

You should also keep in mind that vinyl plank and tile flooring might not increase the value of your home as much as laminate flooring. However, vinyl flooring can still make all the difference in how long your floors will last, which could be vital as we head into a more competitive real estate market.

Why homebuyers will love it: Vinyl plank and tile has a reputation for being one of the hardest-working floors in the industry. It’s enhanced durability, moisture-resistance and ease of maintenance will be an undeniable appeal to homeowners, as well as its incredible design and high-style.

5 Home Improvement Ideas

Now that you know which flooring options stand to give you the best bang for your buck, it’s time to consider your home improvement projects. Which areas of your home should you tackle first?

Though it might go without saying, you should take care of any areas in your home that pose an immediate concern. For example, if you have mold underneath the sub-floor in your basement, it makes sense to begin there.

If there is nothing amiss in your home, then you should approach your home improvement projects by which ones will give the best ROI. Without further ado, here are a few home improvement projects that will put money back into your pocket:

1. A Classic Kitchen

Kitchens are considered the heart of any home, so it makes sense that buyers pay extra attention to this high-use area. However, this is also why you need to be careful when remodeling your kitchen. Homebuyers are particular when it comes to their preferred kitchen style.

For this reason, we recommend sticking to a classic kitchen design that will stand the test of time. Here are a few elements of a classic kitchen to consider:

• White cabinets. While dark kitchen cabinets and bold pops of color are a growing trend, white cabinetry remains a timeless style that will appeal to most homebuyers. 

• Dark countertops. Dark countertops will pop against the white of your cabinetry for a truly classic and refined look. For greater beauty and versatility, consider skipping the ever-popular granite countertops in favor of engineered quartz, which is sleeker and more durable.

• Matte hardwood floors. If you’re going with a classic aesthetic, you can’t go wrong with a dark hardwood floor (engineered or solid) in a matte finish. A matte finish will give your dark wood a more natural look that is perfectly suited to classic kitchens with a modern twist.  

2. A Spa-Like Bathroom

Who doesn’t dream of unwinding after a long day in their luxury spa? Creating an atmosphere of relaxation in your bathroom can entice potential buyers—and let’s face it, you’ll get plenty of enjoyment out of it before you officially put your house on the market. 

How do you create a luxurious bathroom without breaking the bank? We have a few ideas…

• Stick to a neutral color palette. A neutral color palette will attract the most buyers and create understated elegance in your bathroom. Start with a fresh coat of paint and consider a monochrome design to give your bathroom a hint of modern luxe.

• Upgrade your vanity. If you can get away with simply refreshing your vanity, then stick to budget-friendly upgrades by replacing the hardware or painting the cabinets. If you need to replace it, choose a vanity that works with the size of the space and offers equal parts function and style.

• Install waterproof floors. To give your bathroom a high-end look while maintaining functionality, consider installing waterproof floors. The Pure collection by Beauflor will give your bathroom the “wow” factor that will make your master bathroom stand out to potential buyers due to the versatile designs.

3. An Inviting Living Room

After tackling the kitchen and the bathroom, it’s time to turn your attention to other spaces that might reap an unexpected ROI. Why not start with the living room?

Despite being one of the most used areas in a home, the living room is often passed over for remodeling projects. But as you will see, there are plenty of ways to improve this space to attract homebuyers:

• Revamp the fireplace. As one of the first things a potential buyer will notice in your living room, the fireplace deserves your attention. To boost your home’s resale value, consider updating your fireplace by painting the bricks or adding modern tile to the fireplace surround and hearth.

• Update light fixtures. Old light fixtures can make your living room appear outdated and ruin the ambiance of your space. Replacing them is an easy and affordable fix that can bring your living room back into the modern century. 

• Keep floors uniform. One of the worst ways to kill your home’s resale value is by installing two different types of flooring in the same general area. If you choose engineered hardwood for your kitchen, extend it to your living room and other highly-visible areas in your home.

  4. A Versatile Mudroom

Mudrooms have gone from being purely functional to a stylish area that keeps your home organized. While it’s difficult to measure the ROI of a mudroom, making this transitional space more efficient will almost certainly add resale value to your home.

Here are a few ideas to refresh your mudroom:

• Add cubbies for organization. Create a space for shoes and other valuables by installing a bookcase storage unit in your mudroom.

• Install a built-in bench. Don’t know what to do with the nook in your mudroom? Add a built-in bench with a cozy seat cushion that can double as a reading nook.

• Choose waterproof flooring. Since mudrooms are susceptible to the elements, consider installing waterproof flooring to withstand moisture and high traffic in this area.

5. A Refinished Basement

Transforming your unfinished basement may sound like a chore, but it can pay off when it comes time to sell your home. According to HomeAdvisor, you can recoup as much as 69 percent of your costs by refinishing your basement.

Ready to turn your basement into a warm and cozy space? Here are a few ideas to refinish your basement:

• Make use of nooks. Unused nook underneath the stairs? Consider transforming it into a multifunctional dry bar that could double as a party supply cabinet. 

• Frame and insulate your basement. Let’s face it–no one enjoys hanging out in a cold basement. To make it a functional living space, make sure you frame and insulate your basement walls.

• Opt for vinyl plank flooring. Featuring moisture-resistance and incredible durability, vinyl plank flooring is a great flooring option for basements. We recommend checking out Beauflor’s flooring products, which feature a stylish collection of vinyl plank flooring designs that can transform the look of your basement.

Wrapping Up

Hardwood floors (both solid and engineered) are classic, timeless and will give you the best ROI—plain and simple. However, these options aren’t suitable for every space, budget and family. 

Fortunately, there are plenty of flooring options that can improve the look and resale value of your home. Still can’t decide which flooring option is right for you? Locate a Twenty & Oak retailer and let our expert team of professionals narrow down your options.