If you’re going to the effort of selling your house, you might as well do all you can to sell it for the highest price possible.
It turns out that some of the things you can do to up your property’s price are as simple as adding a fresh lick of paint.
Admiral (yes, the home insurance people) gathered a team of four anonymous estate agents to get their expert advice on how to sell your home, from the DIY tricks that could add £30,000 to the value of your house to the tiny things that buyers are currently loving.
That panel, made up of a senior director in Essex with 22 years’ experience, a senior negotiator in Gloucester, an owner in Dorset, and an owner in Suffolk, say that rather than investing a load of money in massive overhauls, it’s far wiser to make smaller changes that are low on cost but offer high returns.
The three things you need to do before you put your home on the market? Declutter, keep the colours neutral, and invest in those small changes to make a big return.
Easy, cheap things you can do to increase the value of your home:
- Paint your front door
- Paint the interiors in a neutral shade
- Declutter so the house has a more minimal aesthetic
- Weed the garden
- Fix peeling paint
- Fix any other easy things you can do yourself
- Mow the lawn
- Make sure the exterior is in tip-top condition
- Do a deep clean
- Arrange house viewings when the sun is shining
‘It sounds obvious but general presentation of the home really is vital,’ said one estate agency owner from Suffolk with over 10 years’ experience in the industry. ‘It can be overwhelming for viewers if homes are very cluttered so try to keep the home minimalist, although it still needs to be homely and welcoming. The ideal you’re looking for is clutter free and not too busy.’
Another estate agency owner from Dorset said: ‘Fix anything you can fix easily but that doesn’t mean replacing kitchens or bathrooms. If the ceiling paint is flaking, get it sorted because it can and does put people off.
‘These are all things that viewers see and makes them believe they’ll have to spend money. It’s nice for buyers to go into a property that’s been well looked after and loved.’
A lick of paint can make all the difference and make your home sell for lots more money, simply because it creates an overall aesthetic buyers will love.
Go for neutral tones rather than anything too overwhelmingly bright, so prospective buyers can see the house as a bit of a blank canvas for them to add their own personalities too.
‘It’s important to not go over the top in terms of colours and wallpapers, keep things neutral and avoid bright yellow, green or orange walls,’ the panel said.
One estate agent said that just a fresh paint job could be the difference in whether your house sells: ‘I’ve sold a house for the full asking price after it had been on the market for a while because we changed the kitchen colour from blue to magnolia! And it only cost £40 in paint to make the transformation.’
But while you should go neutral on the inside, the front door is where you should choose a slightly more eye-catching shade.
Previous research suggests that painting your front door blue could increase how much your home sells for by £4,000.
Exterior-wise, make sure everything’s in tip-top shape, as that’s the first thing buyers see. Weed the front lawn and walkways, repaint windows and the door, and if you can, hide away anything ‘unappealing’, like bins and gardening equipment.
Jeremy Jones, Swindon Local Property Expert from Purplebricks, said improving the exterior is ‘possibly the most obvious way to increase the value of a property’.
If you’re selling your home right now, it might be worth investing in the trendier features homebuyers want post-lockdown.
After spending months cooped up indoors, buyers are placing more value on outdoor space – so if your house has a garden, make sure it looks its best and highlight it in adverts.
Bonus: a lot of the tweaks you can make to your garden are totally free, but could add value to your property. Cut the grass so it looks fresh, reposition your flowers and plant pots, and make sure your pathways are free of weeds and debris.
Home offices are another priority thanks to the pandemic – this could be a great way to market a box room or even a shed in the garden.
One expert even recommends investing in a dedicated outhouse, explaining: ‘A reasonably sized brick-built outhouse could cost between £15,000 to £50,000 and will add value to your house.
‘There have been some instances where a £5,000 investment has added an additional £20,000 to £30,000, which is roughly 10% of the property value. So if you can invest, it’s worth considering to increase your property value.’
Other features buyers are loving at the moment include a kitchen with an island, bi-fold doors, wood burners, and garages.
The final thing that could increase offers without you needing to spend any money? Being conscious of when you arrange house viewings.
The experts agree that you should try to do viewings when the sun is shining, to show off the garden, and in the middle of the day, when children should be at school so there won’t be as much noise and traffic.
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