If you’re planning to put your house on the market, chances are you want to make as much money as you can out of the property. The best way to do this is to complete small renovation projects that will not only increase the overall value of your home, but will also attract a greater number of potential buyers.
In this article, we give you our top six renovation ideas to ramp up the value of your home so when the day comes to sign contracts over to your buyer, you’ll be getting the best return on your investments.
1. Open your kitchen up
One sure-fire way to attract more interest in your home, as well as ramping up its value, is to open your confined kitchen up into a more spacious living plan.
It’s imperative that the modern kitchen aligns with contemporary tastes in architectural design, meaning it shouldn’t feel cramped and walled off from the rest of the home.
This means that you may like to consider knocking down any walls that confine the kitchen from other living areas thereby opening it up into a more spacious, modern and inviting area.
You can further enhance the kitchen by installing new cabinetry, splashbacks, benchtop surfaces, and modern appliances such as a stainless-steel stovetop and rangehood.
Just be warned, it’s probably a good idea to consult a structural engineer before you go knocking down any walls, just in case one of those walls happens to be load-bearing and your whole house collapses in on itself.
2. Give the exterior a facelift
It’s true what they say: you only get one chance to make a first impression.
That’s why it’s important that your front yard and the exterior of your home presents a pretty picture to visiting guests who might be interested in buying your home.
The most effective way to do this is to tidy up your front garden and slap a fresh coat of paint across your home’s exterior. Keep the lawns nice and kempt, and consider installing new pathways, steps and gardens to create an eye-catching and welcoming façade.
To further enhance the image of your home, colour coordinate any trimmings, such as windowsills and fences, to either contrast nicely with or complement the overall colour scheme of the home.
These might be small, cosmetic changes in your outdoor setting, but they will have a huge impact on making a great first impression on potential investors there to inspect your home.
3. Beautify your bathroom
It is one of the more costly renovation projects on our list but updating your bathroom might be a deciding factor in selling your home.
No matter the size or scale of your bathroom, most buyers in today’s housing market are after bathrooms that emit a modern, homely elegance.
To achieve this, you’ll want to ditch old, retro tiles with daggy patterns in favour of sleek tiles in neutral colours to create a look of uniformity and cohesion. The same goes for antique wallpapers and any outdated fixtures, such as vanities, bathtubs, showerheads, screens and tapware.
Replace these with their newer counterparts to create a feeling of understated luxury that will wow the beholder.
A simple bathroom makeover such as this can make all the difference when it comes to selling your home.
4. Eye-catching interior design
If you have an outdated, mismatched or daggy interior design, it’s likely to turn potential buyers off.
That means it’s time to style your home, so it has a classy, uniform look throughout it.
Decorate your home’s interior by fitting it out with stylish furniture and accessories to create a strong visual appeal for your interested clients or visitors.
Declutter and style each room so the décor is striking, but not too overwhelming. This means each room should feature an arresting centrepiece complemented by tasteful furnishings and artworks.
This understated look will not only maximise appeal to potential buyers, it will also allow them to imagine what their own furniture arrangements and interior design will look in these rooms.
If you lack the skills or expertise to competently decorate your home, you can always engage the services of a home stager. This is a professional who will not only remedy the design of your home, but will also temporarily fill it with classy furnishings so you don’t have to fork out the money in buying them yourself.
5. Fabulous floors
You don’t need an overhaul of cosmic proportions when you’re redoing your house, but you do need one of cosmetic proportions.
This rule applies most directly to your floors. If the current floor under your feet is daggy, outdated, or in poor condition begging for a revamp, you’ll want to give it a makeover.
For an affordable remodelling of your floor, pry up old floorboards, toss them away, and replace them with a cost-effective laminate flooring model.
The Swiss Krono laminate flooring range is available in a variety of gorgeous colours and designs that are sure to visually enhance any space in which they’re installed.
These are an inexpensive option compared to hardwood and natural stone floors, and best of all – if you have the required skillset or even just a competent DIY approach – you can install them yourself, rescuing your budget from the necessity of having to hire a professional to slap them down for you.
Whatever option you choose, new floors are sure to both increase the value of your home, as well as enrapturing your potential buyers with their glossy new looks.
6. Install budget blinds
Another simple cosmetic touch that transform a room from ordinary to outstanding without blowing your budget is to install blinds throughout your home.
They are relatively cheap to install, but will create a softer look and lighting in whichever room they’re installed, also acting as a good buffer against sunlight which will in turn reduce the internal temperature of these rooms.
Whether you choose inexpensive aluminium venetians, genuine timber venetians, or even office blinds, you will be adding another asset to your home that is sure to attract buyers, and increase the overall value of your property.
7. Artworks and ornaments
You will recall earlier we were talking about the value of decorating the interior of your house.
When you are engaging in the decoration process, it is a smart idea to hang some artwork around your abode.
However, you should make sure that you only select artworks that are in good taste and aren’t offensive or overly risqué. A well-selected print can make a room pop with colour, and will add an element of artistry and character to a room that it would otherwise lack if you just left the walls bare.
Some prints can be purchased at a relatively cheap price, especially from discount stores, that will offer you a lot of bang for your buck and is a cheap way to dress up your home.
Final say…
Whether you use one or two of the above tips, or all of them in concert, you will no longer need to sell your house because it will sell itself.
Adding new features to your home or tweaking existing ones through taking cosmetic measures will lead to certain success in selling your house.
If you are limited by your budget or you can select only one of the above tips to help in your renovation project, our personal recommendation is to slap down some new floors. The right floor can make a whole house feel like a brand spanker.
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