Share this:
Image by Rudy and Peter Skitterians from Pixabay
It’s been a strange year. Coronavirus has changed the way a lot of people live their lives. Industries have changes, the hospitality and travel ones were hit the hardest. However, throughout the lockdowns and quarantines, people spent less money. In fact, a lot of people managed to save money because they weren’t going out to eat or socialize with friends. Because of this, experts think, the house retail market is booming. If you’re selling your house, one of the things you’ll be worried about, or at least keen to do, is to increase the value of your home. The game is to buy low and sell high. There are a myriad of ways to do this. For all budget types. Remember, all houses are different and they all are affected by different elements which affect price. Because of this, all advice around renovations or changes need to be applied to your own property. Don’t follow advice and expect the same result without first investigating your own circumstances. With that in mind, there will likely be ways to increase the value of your property. You might have thought about some of these.
Increase The Curb Appeal
People don’t often look to the external elements when looking to increase a home’s value, but if you don’t you’re missing out on some easy wins. A first impression means so much. People will decide whether they like your home or not pretty quickly. For a start, you want to make sure the pavement looks nice and clean. You might want to look into Purity Pressure Washing, or do it yourself. The same with the walls. Make sure you get the dirt off as best you can. You can even consider giving the outside walls a new coat of paint. A neutral colour is best, something which looks fresh and clean. If you’ve got big, ungainly trees have them cut back or removed. Plant some easy flowers or plants which will make the entrance way a bit nicer. Then, think about painting the front door. A fresh coat of paint will leave it looking a lot nicer and inviting. Guttering can be a concern too. If it’s full of leaves or broken in places you’ll want to get it fixed so that it more accurately frames the house. Remember, first impressions are lasting and count for a lot. Make sure that it doesn’t cast a shadow over anything else they see coming through the door.
Better Windows
If your home has old windows you will certainly benefit from newer ones. This is certainly the case if they aren’t double or triple glazed. On top of this, they add to the curb appeal because new windows look fresher and more inviting. You’ll also increase the energy efficiency of your home. If the windows hold in air then they’ll be able to hold in heat more efficiently meaning heating the home is a lot cheaper. This is the same when keeping out the cold, the windows will keep out wind and cole meaning you won’t have to turn on the heat so often. Better windows are better all around and if you need them, you can recoup the cost right back when selling your home. It can be expensive if you’re thinking of doing the whole house but there are deals to have so make sure you properly shop around for the best deal to keep the costs down.
Make It Look Fresher
This is one of the easiest tips you can read and do. Just give it all a fresh coat of paint. You might have old paint left over you might want to use. It doesn’t have to be expensive. A fresh coat of paint will make it all look a bit better. Fresher. More inviting and better smelling. This is especially important if you’ve used paint which is diverse in tastes, meaning a lot of people won’t like it. Most people will see right past it, however some won’t. Some will just see the paint and it might just put them off. It’s cheap if you do it yourself, if you’ve got the time, it’s certainly worth it.
Clean The House
Another easy thing for you to think about doing. Clean the house properly before someone comes to view it. A clean house is like a blank slate in their mind, ready to be personalised. A dirty or unclean house is one which is harder to envisage doing new things to. It’s common decency for a start, but if you really want to sell the home you should clean it. You can take this to the next level too. If there are carpets in the house consider hiring an industrial carpet cleaner and running it over your carpets. It’ll look so much cleaner before people come to view your home. It’ll also help the smell. Little things like this can make a huge difference especially if you haven’t got the time to do some more of the bigger projects. If you’re worried about this you can always hire someone to do a deep clean on the house for you. This is a great opportunity if you don’t have much time to get things done and have the money waiting to be used. Just ensure you’re clear about what you want cleaned and what you don’t want cleaned.
An Extension
Getting an extension is one of the best ways you can increase the value of your home. This can be done in all kinds of ways depending on the home you have. For a start, if you have a garage attached to the house, you could change this into another room. It’ll give you so much more space. If there’s space above this you can build a bedroom on top of it. Doing this is extremely beneficial as bedrooms and a huge amount onto the value of a home. Especially if you’re utilising space which wasn’t existent previously. You could get something like a conservatory if you wanted something a little smaller. These are great if you have a large garden. It gives you another room to relax in and essentially provides a reception room in all but name. One of the best things you can do to a home in terms of making it better is a loft conversion. A loft conversion turns dead space into a whole new floor of the house. You’ll sacrifice some space in a bedroom to get this done, however you’ll get an even bigger bedroom upstairs with more storage space and even an en suite. Usually, you can still keep some of the storage space too which is another huge pull.
Buy Into An Environmentally Superior Future
Doing this means you need to be greener. A greener house might attract more buyers. Think about electric cars. Has your home got an electric car charge port? Think about adding one of these in. It’ll increase the value of your house quite nicely, especially as electric cars become more popular. If you’re needing a new boiler, buy one which is energy efficient too. Don’t get something which is older or burns too much energy. How is your insulation looking? If you’re feeling the cold more than usual you might want to look into the insulation. Cavity wall insulation is great and you might be able to get a grant to get this done. Insulation in the loft is also great. Both options keep the heat in much better and allow you to save money on heating the home. Also, it gives you the ability to sell the home as one which is using clean energy. Can you get a smart meter from your energy provider? A lot of these are free at the moment and worthwhile putting in place. They allow you to properly regulate your energy usage and check when using certain appliances how high energy usage is going up. It’s a far more accurate way to keep up with your energy commitments and another pull on any potential buyers. Future forward is the key to success.
Fix Any Problems
Making such repairs on your own can save you money. However, it can result in poor quality work. Since you are not a professional, you may miss certain repairs you may not know of. This can have adverse outcomes where you may sell your home at a lower value, or a buyer may sue you for not disclosing specific damages. To avoid this, it would be best to hire professionals. They have great experience in fixing damaged homes and know what to look out for. They can also fix the damages within a short period if you are in a hurry to sell your home.
For instance, ceiling fixers know how to hide wiring, pipework and heating systems properly. They can also provide expert opinion where they provide the right solution to damages. They can also suggest better ceiling designs to make your home look more attractive, which attracts buyers. These are but a few reasons why you should hire a professional to fix your home before selling.