So; you’ve decided to move and you’re
getting ready to put your home on the market. What can you do to make your home
look more valuable and desirable without breaking the bank. Obviously a big extension
or a re-landscaped garden is going to add value, but what smaller and cheaper
quick wins can you do to add potential value before getting someone round to
list your property.
1. REDECORATE
Redecorating is the most
popular home improvement and adding a fresh new coat of paint can be done at a
relatively low cost. Neutral and natural colours are most appealing to house
buyers and can go a long way to giving your home a new lease of life. Go for fresh,
clean colours to make the property look modern and loved.
2. FIX
SUPERFICIAL DEFECTS
While unlikely to be the
clinching factor in a house sale, small problems and defects can create an
impression of a house being run down or not well cared for. Bigger issues (like
damp) should not be covered up as they will show on a survey and come
back to haunt you later on.
Things to look out for
include:
- peeling
paint
- dirty
walls, especially near door frames and light switches
- dripping
taps
- squeaky
floors, doors or stairs
- mouldy sealant in kitchens or bathrooms
- limescale build-up on kitchen and bathroom fittings
- badly
fitted laminate flooring
- broken
lightbulbs
3. THE FRONT
DOOR
First impressions count
and the front door of your home can say a lot about the rest of the house
to first-time viewers. If you cannot afford to replace the door, make sure it
looks new by giving it a power wash or fresh coat of paint. Even a new
doorknob, house number or name plaque can help. Try to make your front
door look smarter than your neighbours to help your property stand out. Seasonal
wreaths are good for decorating your door but should be avoided in photographs
when listing the property as they can ‘date’ the picture. Nobody will want to
see a photo of Christmas decorations in July!
4. DECLUTTER
and depersonalise
Never underestimate a tidy,
clean room and pay special attention to high-impact rooms such as the kitchen
and bathroom. You should also consider whether there’s too much furniture in
each room as it can make the property feel smaller. Remove all of your
personal effects to enable new buyers to visualise themselves living there.
Photos of your family, posters of your teenagers favourite rock band and pet accessories
everywhere may be the things about your house that YOU love, but when it comes
to selling, you need to make YOUR BUYER love your house and so removing your
personal bits and replacing them with neutral bits will help them feel less
like they are in someone else’s home.
5. HEATING AND
LIGHTING
If you're not at home, pre-set
the heating to come on ahead of a scheduled viewing. Potential buyers will want
to know that your central heating works well and feel comfortable in your
home if it's cold outside. Good lighting will also be essential on a drab
day so having lamps on in dark corners will help. It's better for the
viewing to take place in daylight but if a potential buyer is coming after
dark, then turn any outside lights on. Candles help create a softer light
and scented ones can make the home smell good on viewings too.
6. GARDEN
APPEAL
If you have a front
garden, spend a little time sprucing it up. A few plant pots and a clear
pathway can make the front of your house more appealing helping with the
first impressions. If you have grass make sure you cut it.
Out the back a
well-designed garden can add a great deal of value, it should feel like an
extra space for entertaining or relaxing, rather than an expanse of
grass. It's essential to trim borders, clear pathways and cut back any
overgrown trees or bushes, particularly if they block direct sunlight into the
property.
7. CREATE A
DRIVEWAY / OFF-ROAD PARKING
In some areas of the
country, the ability to park close to your front door comes at a huge premium
and therefore, if you have the room to add off-street parking, you are sure to
increase value.
8. LOOK SMART
AND BE ENERGY EFFICIENT
Smart home technologies are
increasingly important to buyers - just advertising the presence of fibre optic
cables in your area could be enough to encourage buyers. Statement systems like
multi-room music platforms can also make a difference.
Double glazing will also
help retain heat (and keep noise out). Smart technology such as Hive, which
gives mobile control over heating systems, is a feature worth considering. If a
home improvement moves your Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) up a
band it could add thousands to the sale price!
9. MAKEOVER
THE KITCHEN
Kitchens are often the main
focus for many buyers, it may be the first thing they look to
replace or pay more for if a property has one they like. You may
not be able to afford a whole new kitchen but, for a relatively small
budget, painting units or replacing cupboard handles or doors are great
alternatives. Good lighting and clutter-free, clean surfaces will
also make a big difference. If the budget allows consider some new
tiling or a splashback. Kitchens like everything go in and out of fashion, but
tiling can be changed relatively easily and could give your kitchen a fab
makeover.
10. FRESH
BATHROOMS
In the bathroom,
re-grouting, eliminating all limescale and replacing taps are good options.
Bathrooms need to look fresh and hygienic, so paint the walls a neutral
shade and ideally add a new shower curtain or a
standard glass screen. In 2019, new bathrooms were fitted in 29 per
cent of homes which sold that year so could be the key to selling
fast and earning more.
Adapted from an article published on propertymark.co.uk