A property is likely to be the single most expensive purchase of your life, so it’s important to make an intelligent investment and be wise about which improvements undertake. Danny Luke, Business Manager at property investment company Quick Move Now, says there are 7 easy ways to add value to your house and increase your chances of achieving a quick property sale:
- Provide a warm welcome: first impressions last, and it is estimated that a buyer will decide whether or not to buy your property in just 7 seconds. Cleaning up or re-painting a front door, new plants and a clean tidy frontage will all add to your property’s kerb appeal and saleability. Also ensure your property has a door number so it’s easy for potential buyers to find.
- Spruce up your floors: Carpet stains or chipped laminate will instantly knock value off your property. A professional carpet clean can work wonders or, if your flooring is too far gone, replacing it will have a big impact on your property’s value. New flooring needn’t break the bank though; something simple, plain and neutral will appeal to the widest audience.
- Bathroom overhaul: A bathroom can make or break a house sale, and mean a difference of thousands of pounds to the price you sell your property for. Ensuring your grout is looking its best with some bleach and an old toothbrush, and replacing any silicon that’s looking a little worse for wear can give a tired bathroom a new lease of life in just a couple of hours.
- Kitchen make-over: Most people consider the kitchen to be one of the most important rooms in a property, and it can have a huge impact on the value of your home. A new worktop or cupboard doors can add thousands to the value of your property in less than a day.
- Get gardening: Tangled trees and overgrown hedges can obscure views, block light and make a property feel smaller than it really is. Tackling an unkempt garden could add thousands to the value of your property overnight.
- Neutralise the décor: Neutral wall colours and uncluttered décor will instantly lead to your property having greater and wider appeal, and therefore have a positive impact on house value. A fresh coat of paint will also make your home feel lighter, brighter and more airy.
- Remove the question marks from your house: Address anything that will make a buyer stop and think “what’s that?” – it could be a chipped front step, some peeling wallpaper, a hairline crack in the wall or a leaky tap; any little job that you haven’t quite got round to doing that will raise questions for a potential buyer and stop them rushing to make an offer to buy your property. It can be helpful to ask a friend or family member to come and view your house critically, pointing out anything that they feel might put a potential buyer off.