What Are The Best Home Improvements To Do During The Summer?

The following article originally appeared on Unison.com. 

The summer season is finally here, and it’s the perfect time to barbecue, hang out at the pool—and make some home improvements. Whether you’re toying with the idea of putting your house on the market or you just want to put in a little work to make your home a more enjoyable place for you and your family, summer is a great time to check some things off your home improvement to-do list.

Here are a few ideas on the best home improvements to make during the summer to help you get started.

1. Improve Your Curb Appeal

Summer is the easiest time to take care and make improvements to the outside of your house. The grass is green, the sun is shining, and best of all there’s no snow or ice to get in your way. Look at the front yard of your house and take a mental inventory of everything you would like to see done.

If you have plants that have died due to lack of watering or overheating, dig them out and start brand new with some bushes or a flowerbed. Is your door looking a little worse for wear? Consider painting it or looking for its replacement. If you want to tackle something big—like putting in that brick walkway you always wanted—summer is the season to get it done. The good thing is that with just a little bit of weeding, edging, mowing, and planting, your yard can get a total makeover on a small budget.

2. Replace Any Old and Worn Out Carpet

If your carpet has seen better days, you should look into getting it replaced during the summer months. Even if you have kids at home on their summer break, it will most likely be easier to corral them out of the house than during the winter when it’s too cold to go outside or it’s more difficult to hire a babysitter to look after them. You could even strategically plan a family vacation while your carpet is being replaced so you can ensure that nothing is spilled or trampled on during the installation.

Get the money you need for home improvements with the Unison HomeOwner program. No monthly payments and no interest charges. Learn more.

3. Give the Inside a Fresh Coat of Paint

Though there’s no rule that says you can’t paint during the winter, it’s much easier to get ventilation in the room (and not to mention the motivation to get off the couch) during the summer. Grab any helpers you can—including your kids on summer break—and completely transform your whole house with just a few cans of paint and a weekend or so of work. New interior paint can last many years, making it a worthwhile project.

4. Get that Big Construction Project out of the Way

If ever there was a time to remodel the kitchen, the bathroom, or finally open up that wall in the living room, summer is the time to get it done. When you’re trying to get debris out of your house, remove furniture, and then bring in new equipment or materials, there’s a lot of running in and out that’s done during a renovation.

Doing a big renovation project during the summer makes life easier because no one has to trudge through snow and ice and risk breaking any of the equipment (or an arm or a leg!). It’s also a little easier to live through a construction zone during the summer when routines are a little more lax and it’s easier to get away than during the fall or winter.

Get money for home improvements – no monthly payments – Unison HomeOwner

5. Install Solar Panels

The installation of solar panels can be done at any time, but it is most convenient to do during the summer months. Plus, with the heat and humidity of the hotter months it’s likely you’ll see a dip in your energy bills right away. The installation of solar panels will make your home more energy efficient and will most likely give you a dramatic difference in your monthly heating and cooling bills, and can be appealing to an environmentally conscious home buyer. Installation of solar panels typically only takes a couple of days and is minimally disruptive, but it’s still easier to do during the summer months.

Bonus: How to Pay for Home Improvements

While needed home improvements can add value to your home, they can also be expensive. That’s why you should evaluate all the possible options for covering the cost, including home equity loans, home improvement loans, or a home ownership investment. With a home ownership investment from a company like Unison, you can get the money you need for home improvements without taking on additional monthly payments.

The Unison HomeOwner program allows homeowners to unlock the equity in their home with a substantial cash payment they can use right now. You can unlock up to $500,000 of home equity. The money can go toward anything you want – including any home improvements or remodeling projects. Because it’s a home ownership investment, not a loan, there are no monthly payments and no interest charges.

How does it work? Unison invests alongside you as a partner. In return for the company’s investment in your home, they receive a portion of the future change in the value of your home. Unison shares both the upside and downside risk with you. When you choose to sell your home, up to 30 years later, if the home value rises, both you and Unison share in the appreciation. If the home value falls, both you and Unison share the loss.

With a home ownership investment, you get the money you need in order to make home improvements that increase the value of your home, without taking out a loan, paying interest or making monthly payments. Learn more here.