11 Renovation Tips to Increase the Value of Your House for a Sale

When you are ready to give up your present house and move to another house, there are important decisions to make. Are you going to sell your present house as it is or would you rather renovate your house and sell it for a better price? Most people like the idea of a good bargain. Let us examine what you would need to get the best price from your house.

To begin with, you will need to find the going rates for similar houses in your neighbourhood. It is good to be realistic about the kind of money you want to spend on the renovation. If the values in the area are low, it wouldn’t make sense spending too much money on making improvements as your expenses may exceed the returns you get through the sale.

To find out the cost of repairs needed, it would be worthwhile to hire a licensed home builder or inspector to show you the issues that need to be addressed. One option is to give the inspection report to the buyer and list out the repairs they may want to carry out. Being proactive about issues to be dealt with and discussing what need to be done can help you and the new owner to negotiate in a positive way. 

The Exteriors  

Imagine walking into a house that looks shabby from outside. Even if the inside of the house looks fabulous, the impression created by the shabby exteriors will most likely put off any potential buyer. You can make a better impression by trimming overgrown trees, taking care of the lawn and placing good healthy plants in front of the house. Check if the driveway needs fixing. Paint the garage doors and front door to give a fresh look.

A landscaped garden with a spacious deck or terrace makes the house more attractive and adds value. Having an overhead structure that provides protection from sun and rain is an added plus point. Other options include top-of-the-range landscape accessories such as spas, outdoor fireplaces, pizza ovens and water features.

The Kitchen

If your kitchen is looking tired, it is a good idea to replace it. White or black appliances can be replaced with stainless steel appliances. A new statement bench top instead of yellowed, peeling laminate. Upgrade the look of your kitchen with new handles, taps and splash-back. You can consider adding a water filter, built-in rubbish bins and new cabinets. Make sure you pay attention to the kitchen’s lighting too. Kitchens and Bathrooms Sell houses.

The Bathroom

There are many ways to make your bathroom look trendy and classy. Bathroom fittings are available at both expensive and reasonable rates, so you should choose your budget and plan accordingly. Most people prefer to have a second bathroom and toilet in the house. If you only have one, you could consider adding another toilet. If you do not want to spend too much on new fittings, you can just focus on getting new door knobs, drawer handles, eco-friendly taps, shower fittings, towel racks and a new toilet seat.

Increase Storage 

Every home requires adequate storage space to store or stack unused things. Find innovative ways to use up available space and convert them into extra storage space. For example you can have cupboards in the side of staircases or add shelves in corners that are not used much. Ensuring that there is a lot of storage space which looks good too is a good way of getting potential buyers interested.  

Flooring  

If the flooring you have is old vinyl and linoleum that has seen a lot of wear and tear, it is a good idea to invest some money and get new flooring. If you are unable to afford new floors, you can explore the options of re-sanding, sealing timber floors and getting your carpets professionally cleaned. Another way of handling it is to paint over it and put attractive rugs over it.

Use of Energy

The energy efficiency of a home is something all potential buyers are now considering more as it has an effect on ongoing energy related expenses. Energy efficient smart lighting is a value-added feature which increases energy savings. Today a lot of people are environmentally conscious and therefore would want to know how things stand from the environmental viewpoint. You could install wall, floor and ceiling insulation and add a heat pump. If you live in very cold area, you could consider retrofitting windows with double glazing too. 

Get the Lighting Right

Lighting can make or mar the atmosphere in the house. Good lighting helps create a great first impression while improving the perceived value of your house. For a large house, having an eye-catching chandelier or hanging Edison bulbs that go well with the overall theme of the house could give you an edge over similar houses. Having good updated light fixtures is an inexpensive way to elevate the perception of your house.

If your house looks dark, it can negatively affect the sale of your house. It would be advisable to add windows and skylights or use solar tubes which funnel natural light down from a hole in the roof. If you can’t invest in skylights, you could choose the cheaper alternative of low-cost LED. 

Go Green

Today it is definitely smarter to have an environmentally-friendly house with eco-friendly features such as programmable thermostats, solar panels, timber or concrete flooring and high-efficiency appliances. For green upgrades, you can get low-cost improvements made such as swapping out incandescent light bulbs with LEDs. In some areas eco-friendly homes command a higher per square foot price, in other locations they do not have much of an advantage. However, it would be a plus for potential buyers who are environmentally conscious.

Incorporate Smart Home Devices   

House owners are warming up towards smart home devices such as Wi-Fi enabled thermostats, lights, doorbells, cameras, windows, window blinds, hot water heaters, appliances and door locks. These devices can easily be operated through a smartphone. These devices communicate, send information and follow commands making the house look sophisticated and appealing to potential buyers.

House Maintenance

A well-maintained house is easy to sell. On the other hand, a house with rusty gutters, leaky windows or dripping taps shows that maintenance has not been a priority. It is good to ensure all precautions are taken and every problem area is fixed by repairing the problem areas. Thorough carpet cleaning is recommended.

Declutter and deep clean the house so that everything is appealing and in order. Oil the doors and windows, replace missing tiles, change your range hood filter, check for mould and test your smoke alarms too. Make sure all systems are in place so that potential buyers do not find anything amiss.

Get Rid of Unpleasant Odours

Walking into a room with musty and unpleasant odours can be a put off to any potential buyer. Make sure that any lingering smell in the house such as the smell of pets or spicy food is cleared. It is not advisable to use aromatic candles or incense to mask the smell as it could give them the impression that something is amiss. If the weather is appropriate keeping windows and doors open can help air the house and get rid of particulate matter.

Renovating your house can be an intensive and exhausting job. When getting ready to sell, remember that the main reason to renovate your house is to increase its resale value. Every effort you put in to improve the structure, mechanics and physical comfort for the new homeowner is going to give you a good return on investment. So go ahead, identify a reliable renovation company and prepare your renovation plan!