Are you thinking about selling your home? Whether you’re upsizing, downsizing or moving locations, you’ll want to command the highest home price possible to help your cause. But while a lick of paint might help with first impressions, you’ll need to weigh up larger investments to earn bigger returns.
You could face tough competition too. UK homeowners have spent increasing amounts on renovations recently, and while many want to improve what they have to avoid moving, you’ll still need to upgrade wisely.
So which improvements offer the most bang for your buck? Discover five financially savvy options below.
Upgrade your heating system
Replacing an old or faulty heating system is a great way to appeal to modern, eco-conscious buyers – especially given the recent energy price increase. People want to keep their energy usage as low as possible, so installing a new system will save them a task.
Plus, if you make other relevant improvements at the same time, you could score higher on your property’s EPC.
Convert the loft
Do you have unused space at the top of your property? If so, converting it into an extra bedroom is a high-effort, high-reward option that will put your home in a superior price bracket.
Alternatively, you could convert it into a home office and appeal to the new army of home workers. It could be the quietest room in your home, after all.
Update your bathroom
The bathroom is one of the most important rooms in the home, especially for families with young children. Making your bathroom practical, hygienic and even a touch luxurious is a great way to add property value.
Walk-in showers are appealing providing you still have at least one bath in the home. Make sure you use suitable materials too, like bathroom paint and cleanable flooring.
Extend the kitchen
For many people, the kitchen is the heart of the home, and extending yours to allow for extra surface space or a social area will add that all-important wow factor.
Side-return extensions take advantage of the narrow alley that runs adjacent to kitchens in many terraced or semi-detached homes. Providing you keep it to a single storey, it will likely be a permitted development.
You can also extend your kitchen to the outdoors because outdoor kitchens increase the value of a home. If you maintain your outdoor kitchen well and keep your appliances like outdoor griddles clean on a regular basis, it should last you at least ten years. In this manner, you may host barbecues, take part in gatherings and social activities with friends and family, or prepare food for yourself outside.
Tidy up any outdoor space
Demand for outdoor space has shot up in recent times in response to people’s cramped lockdown experiences. If yours is looking tired or messy, upgrading it could be the final selling point that convinces someone to pull the trigger.
A deck or patio creates spaces for the social gatherings we all missed so dearly, while a well-tended lawn will always catch the eye.
Could any of these improvements suit your home and skills?