7 Ways to Add Value to Your Home
Your home is your biggest expenditure, with a significant amount of your monthly income going towards paying for it. As well as providing the base for your life, and somewhere you spend a considerable amount of time, your home is also an investment. Everyone wants to see an increase in the value of their home.
Over an extended period, an increase in value can be achieved if you are prepared to wait for it. However, you can also add a significant amount of money to the value of your home without merely waiting around for it to happen. Renovating your home can add some serious cash to its value, as well as significantly improving the way that your home looks.
Picking the right renovation to carry out, should not only add value to your property but also enhance its functionality. Adding value to your home through renovations should also add value to your time spent in your home by helping it better serve your needs.
Before carrying out home improvements to increase the value of your property, speak to a local estate agent. Getting an estate agent to view your property will give you an idea of your home’s current value. A local property expert should be able to advise you on the ceiling price in your area.
If you aim to add value to your home, then your expenditure mustn’t surpass the ceiling price. Otherwise, you could lose money, rather than make it. Of course, this is not the case if the improvements that you are planning are merely to make your property suit your needs better. In this instance, you may find that the benefits outweigh any concerns about property value.
Create Space with an Extension
Extensions are a hugely popular way to add value and extra space to your home. Whether you opt for a single-storey extension or a full-height extension, you will be adding valuable square footage to your property. Make sure that the extension offers a specific purpose, such as an extra bedroom or kitchen/dining space. Without a particular purpose, an extension may not get used much and could be a costly exercise.
There are now plenty of options available for extensions. You may choose a conservatory-style extension with a glass roof or even a box-shaped extension with a different finish to the rest of your building. Extensions can be built to blend in with the existing structure, or to create a feature in their own right.
Don’t forget to check whether you need planning permission before you start to get carried away with your extension.
Kitchen Makeover
Your kitchen is the hub of the home; it’s a place that you want to look beautiful but also perform well on a functional level. The right choice of kitchen can work strongly in your favour when it comes to selling your home. High-quality Designer Kitchens can add to the value of your home, and also make it far easier to sell. Many prospective buyers are attracted to homes which have an attractive kitchen.
Your choice of kitchen design will depend mainly on the type of market that your property is aimed at. For the family market, it will need plenty of storage and to be highly practical, durable and good looking. For the luxury end of the market, prospective purchasers would expect a strong wow factor, high-end appliances and a quality finish. Choosing the wrong kitchen for the price bracket of your house can negatively impact on its value. This is something to be mindful of when selecting your new kitchen.
Beautiful Bathroom
As with the kitchen, your bathroom is a room that should combine being attractive with being functional. The bathroom is also a room that can sell a house to a prospective buyer. The presence of a high-quality kitchen and bathroom that don’t need to be refurbished are one of the most significant selling points for a home.
Before you start to rip out your existing bathroom suite, it is a good idea to look around for some inspiration. This will help you to see what works well and what doesn’t. Your choice of bathroom is one that you will live with for a long time, so you want to make sure that you get it right.
The trend for wet rooms saw many people get rid of baths. However, this is something that you should consider carefully, as this could be a negative for some buyers and impact on your home’s value.
Add Living Space in Your Attic
As well as adding space by going outwards with an extension, going upwards and converting your loft can add some serious value too. Loft conversions can create stunning master bedroom suites, which are sure to add to the appeal of your home, as well as its value.
If you plan to do a loft conversion, it is vital that you do it properly and follow all the appropriate rules and regulations. Not following the rules could create problems when you come to re-sell your home. Make sure that you are able to install adequate sources of natural light, such as a Dormer window, or Velux windows.
You should also make sure that you have the space to fit in a proper staircase to access the loft room. Otherwise, this could look like an afterthought, and make the conversion seem low quality.
Get Clever With Your Decorating
Decorating is, of course, a matter of personal taste. What one person thinks is classy, another person will find tasteless. Getting the balance right between décor that appeals to everyone, without it being too bland is very tricky.
When it comes to decoration, the most important thing is for it to have a high standard of finish. Decorating simply, using quality items is the key to getting it right. Garish paints and a poor quality finish are likely to diminish the value of your home. Whereas well-maintained decoration, which is of a good standard, will help increase its value.
