Home improvements that add value to your home!
You want to sell your house and get the best possible price? Follow these simple steps to increase your property value!
Paint! This is a simple cost-effective way of upgrading your property. The buyers first impression is the exterior of the property. A fresh coat of paint in a neutral colour will give your house a new vibrant feel to it. First impressions matter! Clean up your interiors with new neutral colours. Get rid of old dated colour schemes and years of grime and paint chips and increase the value of your space. Buyers will certainly notice this.
The most cost-effective way of increasing the value of your property is to simply declutter. Get rid of anything you don’t need that may be considered junk. You want a potential buyer to be able to see themselves living in the space, which would be hard to imagine if your kids’ toys are all over the floor, or you have boxes laying around. The added advantage of getting rid of clutter is it automatically makes the space look bigger.
The kitchen is the heart of the home and is usually a big selling point for a potential buyer! A deep clean makes all the difference. Upgrade your appliances, paint your cabinets, install new handles and light fixtures. A bit of sprucing goes a long way in this space.
Check your floors! If you have parquet flooring which is scratched and dull, give them a shine. If the tiles are coming up be sure to fix them. If you have old and stained carpets they will certainly put off potential buyers. Buy a few charming rugs and turn your floors from ragged to wow.
Bathrooms may not seem all that important but always add value to your home. Make sure it’s a bright clean suite, maybe add a chic floor. Make sure to give the taps a shine and if you need a shower screen opt for glass rather than a curtain.
Look and see if you can knock down a wall. Potential buyers are more swayed by usable living space than by the number of rooms ( this does not include bedrooms which is a huge selling point ) If there is an opportunity to open up space, use it! Not only does this make your home look bigger, but it also adds light and flowing airy space!
Hallways are typically boring and dark spaces. Add a mirror in your passage and natural light will reflect making the space look more welcoming and larger. Not only is it attractive to a potential buyer but it will also add value.
Light! When potential buyers come to see your home, make sure all the curtains are open to let in the natural light. Make sure all your light fixtures are working and replace all the bulbs you need to. Have lamps in strategic corners to add ambience to the space. Make sure all the windows are clean to allow as much natural light as possible.
A little bit of gardening can go a long way! If your lawn isn’t mowed and your flower beds are nothing but weeds, a potential buyer won’t be enticed. If your driveway is strewn with debris a quick sweep can make all the difference. Overgrown shrubs can actually make the space look smaller, losing value to your property. Buy a few plants and have a general clean up and increase your property value by up to as much as 10%.
Go through each room of your house and see if there are any superficial defects. A creaking door? Fix it! A leaking tap? Fix it! A paint chip? Fix it! These are small issues that can be fixed and are cost-efficient, but these are the small things a buyer will notice.
We all know that electricity and water are problems we face daily. A water storage tank is a must-have whether you get municipal water or borehole water. Consider installing a solar geyser. Nothing better than a hot shower at the end of the day regardless of how many hours you haven’t had electricity!
