Thinking of selling your property? Trying to maximise the value of your home with minimal effort? We have the solutions for you; here are 9 quick tips that will bring in as much cash as possible:
Tip 1: Consult an interior designer
Call and invite an interior designer over to have a look at your home. You will probably have to pay a consultation fee to a designer, so check with several designers in your area; a standard hourly fee ranges between $50 to $200, and they can provide you with several ideas for needed improvements.
You should also listen to minor suggested improvements, such as paint colours or furniture placement, which can go a long way toward improving the looks, vibes and thus value of your home.
Tip 2: Prevention is better than cure
Not every home improvement method has to be about enhancing the looks. It is also important to maintain your property at all times. Deteriorating and breaking ceilings, termite infestations or outdated electrical systems — these are some issues which tend to be neglected all too often.
As such, there is a need to always discover hidden problems that could negatively impact your home’s value. Small problems such as a hidden water leak, clogged up sinks or loose wires can become big, expensive problems quickly; and henceforth the longer you put off repairs, the more expensive those repairs will be.
Tip 3: Paint… Because first impressions matter
Perhaps the simplest, and very cost-effective improvement strategy – is to paint. As they say, first impressions matter. Hence freshly painted rooms and hallways that look clean and new – that spells value. Nevertheless, when selecting paint colours, keep in mind that neutrals appeal to the greatest number of people, therefore making your home more desirable.
Tip 4: Find Inspiration
Of course, there are free ways to get design tips as well – just keep seeking inspirations. An alternative to hiring a designer is to search for images in interior design or architecture magazines, books, TV shows and websites. Pinterest is one place you can take inspiration from. Take note of the samples and ideas that you want to try and start your to-do list. You can try to emulate it but keep it simple; do it according to your budget.
Tip 5: Improve the air quality
Air quality is more than just the condition of the atmosphere outdoors. Of course, air fresheners always work, but if you have older carpets and furniture in your home, they might be hiding contaminants and allergens. As such, the first step is to determine if these need replacing is to hire a professional company to test your indoor air quality. If indeed the results indicate that your carpets should be replaced, choose environmentally friendly products and floor boards like tile or laminate floors. This is simply due to the fact that such floors are much easier to keep clean, don’t hold odours, gives a fresher look and thus generally more appealing to potential buyers.
Tip 6: Look up your ceiling
This one is mainly for those who have old houses. Remember to always check out your ceiling. One of the most overlooked yet prominent structural element that makes a house look old, is a ‘popcorn ceiling’ or ceilings full of stains. Henceforth, it is important to dedicate a weekend to removing this dated look and start adding dollar signs to the value of your home. Doing this is relatively simple.
Just visit your local hardware store for a solution to soften the texture, then simply scrape the ‘popcorn’ away. Cleaning this may not seem like a big change but one of the keys for adding value to your home is to repair, replace or remove anything that could turn buyers away.
Tip 7: Cleanliness counts
‘First impressions matter’ and this legendary advice is absolutely true. As such, it is extremely important to make the interior of your home shine from the moment someone walks through the door; especially so for a potential client. If you do not have a domestic helper, you might want to put in your utmost effort, or perhaps hire a cleaning service for a thorough top-to-bottom scrubbing. Even if you clean your home regularly, there are nooks and crannies that you may miss or overlook, thus make sure that every part of the house is covered.
Tip 8: Visually increase the size of your house
The size of your home dramatically affects the value; and of course, any increase in GFA (Gross Floor Area) would increase its value. However, square footage isn’t the only space that counts. Visual space is equally important – how do you make your house seem bigger than it actually is?
The key to doing this is to make each room in your house feel larger. Replace heavy closed window blinds with vertical blinds or shutters to let light in — more light into the room makes it feel larger and more open. Also, try adding a single large mirror to a room to visually double the space.
Finally, make it more minimalistic. What being minimalistic means is that the more furniture and stuff you have in a room, the more cramped it will feel. On the other hand, adding an attractive shelving unit to an underused space is another good way to store any unnecessary things out of sight.
Tip 9: Add new energy-efficient fixtures
Finally, the last tip is pretty simple. For instance, all you need to do is add a functional, decorative ceiling fan and voila – your ceiling would look beautiful, unique, modern and it even saves costs (due to energy conservation). Simultaneously, it provides necessary light and, in warm months, creates a soft breeze reducing the need for expensive air conditioning.
Furthermore, there is a refreshing feeling induced with the latest technological advancements, both on an extrinsic and intrinsic basis. This is definitely preferred over an outdated, wobbly, loud or broken ceiling fan which may be an eyesore. The main idea here is this: replace old fixtures with new ones to make your home more enjoyable for you now and to increase the value of your property should you decide to sell.
