Ideas for increasing your home’s value

Attracting the top price for your home is important when the time comes to sell. Of course, if you have plenty of cash to spend then adding an extension, building into the loft or fitting a state-of-the-art kitchen will certainly increase the value of your property. But there are plenty of cheap things that you can do that will make sure you get the best offer from buyers. 

Impress viewers before they even get through the door 

Opinion polls have shown that viewers make up their minds about a property within the first eight minutes of arriving, so make sure that every second counts. Look at the way visitors enter your home, whether that’s the front path, shared hallway or side alley and spruce it up to its very best. That might mean moving the bins out of sight, sweeping up leaves, power-hosing the driveway or cutting back huge shrubs. It goes without saying that you must mow the lawn and tidy the flower beds, but also add some pots of plants to really make it feel welcoming. If the door and frame looks a bit tired, then buy a small pot of paint and freshen the woodwork. Look at the doormat and replace it or throw it out if it’s past its best. Remember, the potential buyers might be standing there a few minutes waiting to be let in, giving them plenty of time to notice every detail. 

Create space in the kitchen 

The kitchen is the centre of any home, so make sure you show it off to its best. Viewers usually want as much space as possible in this hard-working room so start with a really serious de-clutter. If there are gadgets, boxes and bottles on every surface, it will feel like there isn’t enough cupboard space, so put as much away as you can and present clear work tops. Pack away completely the things you use rarely, like the juicer and the ice-cream maker, find a new home for the rows of old cook books and use up some of the groceries you have stored on top of the fridge. Now make sure everything is super clean and shiny – including the lights, tiles, taps and cupboard fronts. Check any blinds or curtains – could they be removed or replaced with something cheap and cheerful? If anything is broken or hanging crooked spend a few pounds and replace it or fix it. If you don’t mind investing a little more, look at the flooring and see if changing it for something fresh and new will really improve the overall appearance of things. 

Throw some light in the living room

 Top of most buyer’s list is a light and airy main room so do your best to deliver what they are after. Clean the windows, move away anything blocking the light – both inside and out – and look at the colour of the window frames. White reflects the light in, so paint the woodwork and window sills. If you have some darker corners then move a lamp to the area and try to add some reflective surfaces and consider removing anything too dark and dismal. Could you take out any of the larger pieces of furniture to create a little more room, or think about moving things around to make better use of the space. Change or clean grubby carpets – you can hire a carpet cleaner cheaply, and think about buying a bargain rug to brighten the general look. Loads of books can make a place look dull, so pack them up or take some to the charity shop and leave some artfully clear areas on the shelves. It all adds to the feeling of space. 

You’ll be amazed what can be achieved with a little cash and a lot of elbow grease. Cheap things that increase the value of your property are truly worth the effort.