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Selling your home is not easy. For example, you have to make sure it looks perfect and you have to be available at all times for questions from potential buyers.
A real estate expert explains how to update your home to make it easier for buyers to close the deal, and what you should throw out.
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Peter May, Sales Director at Location Location, revealed six improvements that will increase or decrease the value of your home.
Knowing which add-ons turn buyers off can help you make more money from your sales, faster.
Bubble baths
While you may love relaxing in your hot tub, buyers don’t.
Peter says: “Hot tubs used to be popular, but are now a turn-off for homeowners and buyers due to the expensive maintenance. In recent years, and especially since the pandemic, we have also seen a movement towards plunge pools, home gyms and home saunas.”
He warns that a hot tub can be £5,000 cheaper, depending on the size and type of hot tub, as buyers will want to remove or replace it.
Folding doors
While folding doors are all the range A few years ago, people were looking for alternatives.
While they are a great way to connect your indoor and outdoor spaces in the summer, buyers now seem less keen on them.
“Believe it or not, bi-folding glass doors can decrease the value of a home because buyers want to update the design after they move in,” Peter explains.
Outdoor kitchens
As summer temperatures continue to rise each year, people are spending more and more time outdoors.
Peter says adding an outdoor kitchen can add an extra £15,000 as more buyers look for outdoor solutions.
Garden room
We all like to add more rooms to a home. A garden room is ideal if you can’t expand.
The property expert adds: “Garden rooms are more expensive, especially in the city where space can be limited, but returns largely depend on size and specification (£20,000 and upwards depending on scale and design).”
His and hers sinks
No one wants to share a sink. It means less space for your skincare products and there’s nothing more annoying than beard hair in the sink.
According to Peter, investing in a bathroom sink will attract buyers.
How to Add $20,000 of Value to Your Home
Property expert Jonathan Rolande shares 12 simple, affordable tricks that could increase the value of your home by £20,000…
Ban trash cans – before the agent takes photos, move them out of sight. Added value: £1k
Make your sidewalk more attractive – repaint front door, add pots and plants. Added value: £2.5k
Increase your EPC rating – switch to energy saving LED lights and insulate your loft. Added value: £3k
Clean your carpets – it will instantly freshen the room and remove odours. Added value: £3k
Grab a pen to paint the tiles – a £5 grout pen can make the difference between bad offers and a quick sale of the property. Added value: £1k
Take care of the garden – Buyers want a low maintenance space, so trim the lawn and shrubs and hide the rusty trampoline and BBQ. Added Value: £1k
Polish your sink taps – remove limescale so that the fittings in the photos stand out. Added value: £500
Replace the toilet seat – and dress up the bathroom with new towels and a soap dispenser. Value added: £500
Remove scratches and scuff marks – you can get a magic eraser for a few quid and the walls and skirting boards look like new again. Added value: £1.5k
Replace bad doorknobs – Out with the old, in with modern sleek kitchen cupboard handles. Added value: £3k
Renew the curtains – and tie curtains to let more light in. Added value: £1k
Go greige – Swap garishly painted walls for a neutral shade, such as grey or beige, but don’t go too boring. A pop of colour on a feature wall, cushions or cabinets adds interest. Added value: £2k.
Electronics
We are all obsessed with our phones, and these days people are also obsessed with using voice or app controlled home appliances to make life easier.
Peter adds: “Investing in adapting your home to modern living is definitely worth it. Increases in value depend on the type and scale of technology.”
Solar panels.
With energy accounts As the demand for solar panels increases every year, potential buyers will be excited about them.
The home expert explains: “It’s a complete win-win situation. With the cost of living that we’ve seen rise in recent years, plus people becoming more environmentally conscious, solar panels are definitely worth considering for your home (there are some great grants and subsidies available).
“A great investment for the property and the environment. Depending on the size of your home you can expect to earn over £15,000.”
