Putting your home up for sale can be both exciting and nerve-racking. You want to get the best deal for your property and don’t want it to stay on the market for too long. But to do so, you might have to consider making a few adjustments. Some of these could make or break a sale while others could allow you to make a few thousand more. On the other hand, some renovations will not only not give you a return but could actually hurt you in the long run. Here are some home improvements you should consider making before putting your home on the market.
Give the Facade a Makeover
We’re not saying that you should redo your facade completely. As a matter of fact, doing something as simple as painting the front door the right colour could be enough to make a big difference. This may be hard to believe but changing the colour of your front door could help boost your house’s perceived value by as much as £5,241.
Another thing you could do is install some window planters and create a container garden on the front porch. This will allow you to increase the curb appeal even more on a tiny investment. Then, you can add some new house numbers or a name plaque and you’ll have given your facade a whole new look for under £1,000. Out of all renovations, this is probably the one that will give you the highest return on investment.
Add a Veranda
One of the biggest selling points for any house is the garden, and a nicely decorated and well-kept garden will always be a winner. You could, however, go a step further and add a veranda so you can make the patio more liveable.
It has been estimated that installing a veranda could add as much as 15% to the value of your property. They’re also installed fast and will look great – as long as you buy it from the right place.
If you’re looking for great verandas, we suggest you check out Nationwide verandas. They have a wide variety of glass verandas that you can use as a patio cover. If you’re looking for a glass veranda, they have various models made from different materials so you can pick one specifically for your needs and local weather conditions.
Not only can a veranda help boost your home’s value but will also be a major focal point during visits. There are also very few people who will turn down a house because it has a verandah but having one will always be a plus.
Roof Replacement
Some people don’t think adding a new roof will make a difference or should be done before selling a property, but they’d be mistaken. Replacing the roof can be a great way to increase the perceived value of a home and will score points with careful buyers.
There are many reasons why you should consider installing a new roof before selling. If it’s been a few years since it was installed, buyers will probably notice it, and they might have concerns about it. This is a major deterrent for any home buyer. If you replace the roof, they’ll have peace of mind that they won’t have to replace it for a few decades probably, so you can see how that could make the deal more interesting.
Another reason why replacing the roof is such a good option is that it will instil more trust in the buyer. Someone who takes care of their roof is not likely to be neglectful, so they won’t have to worry as much about other hidden flaws around the house.
The Driveway and Garage Door
This is another one of these renovations that will dramatically change the outside appeal of your house and it’s perceived value. A nice and brand-new garage door is also one of those things that will make the whole house look like it is properly maintained.
However, if you have a few cracks in the driveway or a decaying or old garage door, this will instantly raise red flags. People will then start wondering what other things might be wrong with the house. This could all be fixed by either repairing the cracks or have the driveway resurfaced. These would be two low costs options that could add thousands to the house’s value and prevent you from losing sales.
Even investing in a new garage door is a great idea for greater curb appeal. A new garage door can definitely impact your home value. Most of the garage door repair companies offer options to add a bit of style to a standard garage door. Consult with a trusted garage door repair company near you.
Energy Efficient Changes
Another thing you could do is try to make the house as energy-efficient as possible. Adding things like solar panels could be one great option. You could play up the energy savings that you’re making, and also speak about how it can help reduce your carbon footprint.
An increasing number of buyers are looking for houses that are energy efficient these days, and it can never be a bad thing. Try to play up the cost-saving aspect to those who might not have energy friendliness as a priority for a house.
Adding new energy-efficient windows is another relatively simple way to increase your home’s appeal. People love the idea of having brand new windows, and even more the idea of saving money on energy bills as a result. So, make sure that you consider the idea and play it up when selling.
Modest Kitchen Makeovers
Kitchen makeovers are very tricky because it’s so easy to go wrong here. The issue a lot of people have with kitchen renovations is that they tend to go too big or too niche with them. In reality, if your goal is to sell the property, you should try to keep things as simple as possible and go for additions that will work with most people. You want to go for the showroom look instead of going for something too trendy or specific.
We also suggest that you think twice about repainting cabinets yourself. These have to suffer unique conditions and can’t be approached like any regular surface around the house. They require special paint, so be prepared for that.
Just replacing the cabinet doors could do the trick, but, if your budget is tight, replacing the handles could have a surprising impact. Make sure that they work with the rest of the kitchen and kitchen appliances if you want to create a more cohesive look.
Whatever you do, try to stay away from bulky kitchen islands. If you don’t have one already, installing one can be very expensive and you have no idea if you’ll get any type of return on your investment.
The reality is that a lot of people aren’t big fans of kitchen islands and would rather have a free-flowing kitchen instead or one they can use as a dining room. Instead, you could consider adding a movable kitchen island that you can add and remove so you can test different looks. This could also be rented and doesn’t have to be included in the purchase.
These are just some of the things that you can do to make your home more attractive before a sale. Make sure to consider all of these and look at as many sources of inspiration as you can.