Home Improvements – What Will Add Value to Your Property?

7 February 2019

When selling a property, a valuation will take into consideration any home improvements you have made to it. There are, however, other ways to make your property more appealing and gain you some “quick wins” with potential buyers. We take a look at some of the things you need to consider when trying to add value to your property, both in monetary terms and in aesthetic appeal.

Be Realistic

Adding an extension or converting certain parts of the property might seem like they would add value, but be careful. Bear in mind what other properties on your street are worth. Someone isn’t going to pay over the odds for a property just because it has been overdeveloped. 

It’s important to keep the property in proportion. If you excavate a basement, for example, this will make the property bottom-heavy and will be out of proportion with what the original structure was set out as. This may put potential buyers off.

Find out if any of your neighbours have been granted planning permission and for what in order to help you to make an informed decision on which renovations, if any, you choose to undertake.

Ooze Kerb Appeal

Are your windows and doors up-to-date? Even if they’re older, but not in need of replacing, do they need a lick of paint or a clean to restore them to their former glory? These are the simplest things to rectify and they do make an impact. If you create a great first impression then people will instantly think more positively about the value of the property.

Tidy Your Garden

Another simple way to continue the ‘kerb appeal’ and offer a good first impression, is to keep your garden tidy. Maybe you have a yard that is in desperate need of being jet washed. Maybe you’ve left it a while since you last weeded. You may even have a hole in the fence that you’ve been putting off fixing. Now is the time to give your garden a bit of TLC and watch what a difference it makes to the opinions of potential buyers.

Flooring

If your carpets are quite old then it may be a good idea to get them professionally cleaned. You can hire cleaning kits from local supermarkets these days which makes life easier. Alternatively, if you know you have nice wooden floors underneath old carpet then now might be the time to show them off. It’s relatively cheap to sand and varnish wooden flooring and it’s a good way to create a blank canvas for potential buyers. Even if you just wash the floors ahead of any potential viewings then that’s a good step in the right direction. Cheap or poor-quality carpeting will only distract a potential buyer and may even put them off entirely if they are factoring in the cost of sorting them out.

Insulate

If your loft is easy to access and is free from damp and condensation then it will be straight-forward to insulate. By insulating your loft, you will retain heat in the house and lower heating bills which will be invaluable to future owners. However you choose to insulate it will massively affect the cost. You can buy rolls of mineral wool insulation and install it yourself or you can pay professionals and get foam insulation sprayed between the rafters. Insulation is a good start in making your house more energy efficient which is a huge talking point within the property market right now.

Don’t Over-Personalise

You might think that your style is great, but it may not appeal to the masses. If you want your house to be viewed in its best light, and attract a potential buyer, then it’s important to keep décor as neutral as possible. Off-white, pale grey and pastel colours are safe choices and will make the most of any natural light that enters the rooms and create a sense of space.


This content has been provided to us by NAPB member www.thepropertybuyingcompany.co.uk. Whilst believed to be factually correct, we cannot accept responsibility for content contained within it.

Jonathan Rolande

Jonathan Rolande (MNAEA MICBA MARLA) began in the property business in the late 1980’s and is a Director of House Buy Fast and helped to found The National Association of Property Buyers in 2013. He has worked closely with The Property Ombudsman to develop a Code of Practice for Residential Property Buying Companies.