Summer selling: Add value to your home

Why is it that life always looks better in the sunshine? 

Spring and early summer are traditionally the best time to sell your home. There are a few reasons for this. Sunshine and flowers go a long way in brightening even the drabbest house – with very little effort by you. Plus many families like the idea of having a new school place sorted by September and being in a new home for Christmas and the New Year. 

So, without further ado, here are our six suggestions to add value to your home:

Kerb appeal
Think of this like a first date – first impressions count. As a potential buyer approaches your home, the first thing they see is the front of it. Tidy up, weed and mow the front garden, remove dead flowers and trim the bushes. A fresh coat of paint or a pretty potted plant could also add further appeal to your front door. 

Making the most of a makeover 
If possible try not to spend a lot of money on this, a coat of paint here and there can have a significant impact on appearance. This is especially true of three key rooms, which have the potential to wow your viewers – hall, kitchen and bathroom. As the first room in your house, the hall sets the scene. A lick of paint will instantly make it clean and fresh. Giving your kitchen cupboards a fresh coat of paint will also help revive a ‘tired’ kitchen, without spending thousands on a whole new refurb. Revamping the bathroom walls with this season’s colour, grey, will instantly give it a modern feel. New carpet, flooring or curtains can also be an effective way to update a property. 

Let there be light!
Summer sunshine will naturally brighten your home, helping you combat any dingy nooks and crannies – although be aware of glaring sunlight accentuating any dusty surfaces! It’s also worth replacing dim light bulbs with higher wattage, repainting darker rooms with lighter colours, removing heavy curtains or putting some extra lamps into rooms that need brightening up. Nobody likes ‘dark and dingy’. 

Impressive snapshots
Photographs are the first thing potential buyers will see on a property portal, website or brochure. This is the moment they initially judge your home and consider whether it’s worth a visit to view it. A poorly presented home will be reflected in photographs, and will suggest it is low quality accommodation, which could impact on the price and the number of viewers you get. 

And if you’re feeling flush, consider these two key improvements to add value…

Additional bedrooms
Creating an extra bedroom, either a loft or garage conversion, offers the best bang for your buck. It can cost anything between £15,000 to £40,000 depending on the size and other variables, but the investment pays off. Adding a double bedroom can add more than 10 per cent to the value. Based on current values, that’s around £30,000 on the average East of England home. Adding a study is also worthwhile with more and more people choosing to work from home, as is a playroom or family room.   

Family living
Open-plan living is universally appealing. If you have the budget, consider knocking through between the kitchen and dining room. An open-plan kitchen-diner communal room creates a more relaxed hub for the family, or for entertaining friends. Knocking through reception rooms could transform the flow of your living space at a relatively low cost. It’s worth noting that whilst communal living is popular in the kitchen-diner, keeping one ‘quiet’ room, perhaps the sitting room, can also add value. 

For more information about selling your home with Fenn Wright this summer, please get in touch with your local branch to request a free valuation and marketing report.