20 ways to add value to your home
Feel like there’s potential to pump up the price of your property but don’t want to spend a fortune? No worries, here are twenty easy-to-execute tips that will increase the value of your home, without braking the bank.
- A lick of paint: Consider it a facelift for your home. A fresh coat of paint will inject a little life into your house and give it the kind of edge that can result in a low-fuss value increase.
- Bring the outside in: By building a bridge between the outdoors and the indoors of your house, you create the illusion of a bigger and more open space. Purchasing indoor plants and installing glass doors will work a treat.
- Light and Airy: When your house is on the market, make a point of opening windows, blinds and curtains. The more your house is allowed to breathe, the more attractive it will be to prospective buyers.
- Mirrors: This is about more than just checking how good you look in the morning. Investing in smart, full-length mirrors will pay dividends by bringing depth to a room.
- Send in the stylist: If you’re serious about earning some extra cents on your property, then hiring a home stylist is a no-brainer. They’ll theme your house, recommend the best DIY-decorations and bring style on a budget.
- Backyard Blitz: Get the garden going with a quick outdoor overhaul. Low cost landscaping is a great way to add value, without breaking the budget. Look to purchase some low-cost plants, trees and flowers.
- Art: If your walls are a little bare, then you can treat yourself to some instant artwork. There are companies that will hire out artworks, posters or wall features as you need them.
- Front Door Fix-Up: First impressions count and if your front door looks more ragged than regal, you’ve got a problem. Either spend the cash on a brand new door or you can refurbish your existing one for around $100 bucks.
- Kitchen & Bathroom: Two of the most important areas to a house – value wise – are the kitchen and bathroom. You don’t have to spend up, but small changes can have a big return.
When it comes to the kitchen, switching out a stained sink for a new one or forking out for a professional oven clean may hit the spot.
In the bathroom, make aesthetic changes. Replace old faucets, strip ancient wallpaper and scrub down the shower.
- Carpets & Rugs: A steam cleaner can work wonders on weathered carpet and run down rugs.
- Update Appliances: Anything that looks shiny and new will make potential investors feel good – upgrade people!
- Think about flooring: Floating floorboards are a good option if what’s underfoot needs an update. With a variety to suit all budgets, they can change the look and feel of a dated house.
- Lighting: Dark, dim, dank and depressing – these are things you don’t want people to associate with your property. Ensure your house is adequately lit – think lamps or overhead lights – to brighten up your place on a budget.
- Hire a real deal cleaner: Cleanliness counts, so if you’re hoping to land a tidy profit on your property when it goes to market, shelling out around $200 for a professional house clean is money well spent.
- Oil the Deck: Is your outdoor entertaining area looking more drab than fab? A quick coat of oil is a cost effective way to revitalise a rundown deck.
- Curb appeal: A slick exterior is a fool proof way to add value to your home. Curb-side critics will be quick to judge – so fix faulty fences, tidy the garden and hide the bins.
- Bring on the bedrooms: A recent realtor survey found that bedrooms increase house value by more than four percent. If you’ve got a spare study or basement, a quick bedroom transformation may pump up the property price.
- Walk in wardrobes: Never underestimate the importance of wardrobe space. If you can find a little wiggle room to expand on your existing wardrobes, chances are you’ll please potential investors.
- Maximise Storage Potential: Consider upgrading your home’s storage by adding custom shelving systems to a closet or garage.
- Pave outdoor areas: If your outdoor area is more mean than green, try paving available space for a cleaner look.