Cape Town - Increasing the value of your home need not cost an arm and a leg. In fact some simple changes can make all the difference.
“Homes in a neighbourhood tend to vary by as much as 10 percent from house to house, if all other things are equal, so some simple improvements could make a big difference in how quickly your house sells and what you get for it,” says Lindsay Beck, Cape Town southern suburbs branch manager for Pam Golding Properties.
Beck and Marlies Kappers, marketing head of DirectAxis, a specialist financial services company, give us 10 affordable ways to increase the value of your home.
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1. Stick to cosmetic changes
Huge renovations don’t always deliver the best return on investment when you’re selling your home, so if you’re borrowing money to make home improvements, consider those relatively inexpensive aesthetic changes that can substantially increase its appeal.
2. Ensure your house looks clean and cared for
Most property experts agree first impressions do count and a house that looks clean and well-maintained will sell for more than an equivalent property that isn’t.
3. Upgrade your kitchen
Kitchens feature near the top of most industry insiders’ lists. Most people still consider the kitchen the heart of the home and it’s often the first space potential buyers look at. Simple upgrades, such as adding new cupboard handles, replacing old light fittings with modern, brighter lights, fitting or re-facing cupboard doors or installing modern taps can help transform a kitchen.
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4. Rejuvenate the bathrooms
To keep costs down, avoid changes that involve reconfiguring the plumbing. Again, replacing taps or lighting can make a big difference. You could consider upgrading old, chipped or damaged baths and basins, re-grouting tiles and replacing old-fashioned built-in cupboards with modern, freestanding units.
5. Use off-the-shelf products
Customised features are expensive and often require specialist installation, so stick with items you buy off a shelf and are easy to install.
6. Keep colour and design choices simple
Most surfaces look better after a coat of white paint. Neutral colours and a simple, elegant style are appealing to prospective buyers.
7. Stick to everyday materials
But try to use them creatively. For example, multiple coats of high-gloss paint will make standard wooden doors gleam. An affordable piece of zinc or Perspex can make a perfect kitchen splashback.
8. Refresh rather than replace flooring
Ripping up old floors or re-carpeting is expensive. Varnishing or polishing wooden floors and getting carpets professionally cleaned can make a huge difference at a fraction of the cost. It’s worth checking what’s under a tatty carpet. If you are laying a new floor, consider concrete that when polished looks good and is easier to maintain than wood.
9. Enhance the kerb appeal
If the exterior looks good, the garden is well-cared for and the lawn mowed, and the front door is freshly painted with a bright new knocker, it will add to the property’s attractiveness.
10. Revive the garden
Landscape wisely. Plants can be used to hide a multitude of sins. Use wood chips to cover sparse borders and position shrubs and flowers to enliven views.