If you’re looking to sell your home in the near future, you might be looking at things you can do to increase the value of your house. There are a number of things you can do that might just clinch the deal, or make your property appear the more attractive to those looking to buy. Here are some good ideas about how to add value to your house, and some bad ideas that you should stray away from.
Good ideas
Heating
If your house doesn’t have central heating, it is definitely worth installing. Opt for gas, as this will keep future fuel costs down for the buyers, something they will be very happy about.
Bathrooms
These can be a big giveaway of how old your property is. Bathrooms do not age well. So, if you can only commit to giving one room a full makeover, this is it. Of course, they don’t always need a full renovation, there’s lots of little things you can do to update, like reglazing your bathtub instead of purchasing a new one.
Kitchen
Similarly, a kitchen is a great way to update your whole home. Buyers will really look at the kitchen. It is a room where any family will spend a lot of time and is very important to most people. You want to make sure the potential buyers can see their family revolving around this room, so make sure it is as plain and simple as possible.
Go green
Over the last number of years it has become more and more important to buyers that the house they choose is environmentally sustainable. So, do your research and do whatever you can to make sure your house is as energy efficient as possible. It doesn’t mean you need to do a full overhaul, there’s lots of small things you can do to make your home greener.
Windows
These are another way you can totally transform your home is by changing the windows. These can also help you making your home more sustainable as double glazing can help with insulation. Important to note though, if you are in a period home, it is important to make sure the windows keep with the style and architecture of your home.
Make space
Space sells. The bigger your house seems, the more likely it will sell quickly and the more you will get for it. So make your whole property (house and garden) seem as large as possible. Look at knocking down walls to open up space, painting walls in smaller rooms white and tidying up any outside areas.
Parking
Off-street parking is a huge selling point of any property, particularly if it is in an urban area. More and more, households will have more than one car, so if you can make space for more cars, by all means, do.
Exterior and hall
More of an overall tip is to think about the things the potential buyers will see first when they approach your property. The exterior and the hallway, in most cases, can be used to make a great first impression, so make sure they do.
Bad ideas
Garage
Leave your garage alone, don’t be tempted to convert into anything. People will have their own idea of what they want the garage to be so all you have to do is make sure they can see the space available, and their imaginations can fill in the rest.
Interiors / furnishings
Curtains, carpets, light fittings should be left as they are. These are details that won’t have a huge impact on people’s decisions. Sure, if everything else is in order you can give them a go but they should not be a priority, a nice bathroom will sway someone’s decision a lot more than a nice carpet.
Don’t forget about the small stuff
Get the odd jobs done. Fix that broken tile, fill in those holes and fix that paint job. While they are small details they could affect a potential buyers overall view of your house.
3 Things to remember
- Make the most of your money. Don’t spend more than you have to, only do the things that you know will add value to your house.
- Any work that you have done needs to be of a high, professional standard. There is no point investing and finding the job is not up to scratch. Work off recommendations where possible and ensure tradesmen have the relevant certificates or qualifications.
- It’s all about space, potential buyers won’t be buying your home they’ll be buying the space, so make sure they can see it all.
Guest author: Noel Dempsey Design