Easy ways to add value to your home

Tips to make it more marketable without spending a lot on renovations.

Are you thinking about selling your home? With property prices hitting new highs recently, it’s logical to want to market your home at the highest price possible. But can you enhance its value without spending a lot of money on renovations?

Yes, says Jack Sheo, Senior Associate Division Director with PropNex Realty. While there is no one look or style that’s guaranteed to clinch the sale for you, there are definitely things you can do to make your home more aesthetically pleasing and appear more valuable to potential buyers. Here, Jack tells us what most people who are shopping for a new home like to see, and shares some easy and inexpensive ideas for giving your residence a fresh new look and feel.

Know what sells

According to Jack, there are a few main features of a home that can help raise its value. These include: ample storage space (proportionate to the size of the home); natural light; good ventilation; updated electrical system; plumbing and home network connectivity; upgraded bathrooms; and an upgraded kitchen.

Which of these does your property already have, and which ones does it lack? Since these are a home’s main selling points, it’s worth spending money to ensure that you can check off those boxes before listing your home for sale.

But, keep in mind that you needn’t spend a lot – making your home feel light and airy may be as easy as replacing your dark curtains with light, sheer ones, while creating extra storage can be done by adding a vanity unit under the bathroom sink or installing a few shelves on exposed walls, for example.

First impressions matter

When a potential buyer walks through your property, you want them to feel relaxed, like they’ve come home.

To this end, Jack says that first impressions make a difference. It’s not just about making your place look good; you should also find ways to make potential buyers feel at ease.

“The first tip I can give is to declutter as much as possible,” Jack explains.

“Applying a fresh coat of paint on the walls also helps to refresh the space.”

And don’t forget to make sure that your home is sparkling clean. Jack says that the kitchen and bathrooms must be especially spotless. He also advises you to clean the grouting (the lines between tiles and joints). If it’s impossible to clean, he suggests replacing the grouting completely.

If your home has any lingering unpleasant smells, do what you can to get rid of them because these can put potential buyers off and lower the value of your home.

On the day of the viewing, you can improve how your home smells by turning on the air-conditioner, filing it with fresh flowers, brewing coffee or baking cookies, or using an aromatherapy diffuser, Jack adds.

Get organised

Clutter not only takes up precious space, it is also visually distracting. Jack says it’s worth making the effort to organise your belongings, to create a sense of calm and spaciousness, as well as highlight the functionality of the various areas within your home.

Start getting your place tidy and organised by getting rid of what you no longer need and investing in smart storage solutions for items you want to keep – this will keep them out of view on the day of the walk-through. Everything in your home should have a place.

 

Paint perfection

A new coat of paint will help cover unsightly scratches, marks and cracks, and make your walls and ceilings look a lot cleaner.

“Stick to light, neutral colours like beige, grey and white to create a spacious and airy feel – these colours also appeal to a wider audience,” Jack advises.

He recommends avoiding bold, trendy or personalised colour choices as these may not be to everyone’s taste.

Nippon Paint offers a wide range of neutral colours for your home’s interior. Best of all, the company has a professional painting service using premium, environmentally friendly Nippon Paint Odourless All-in-One paints.

All work is done by certified and trained painting professionals.

Go natural with lighting

“Lighting enhances a home’s value by contributing to its overall aesthetics, functionality and energy efficiency,” says Jack.

If you need more reasons to maximise the amount of natural light in your home, here are three:
• For starters, an environment filled with natural light is usually bright and airy, creating an atmosphere of   openness and comfort.
• Natural light can accentuate your home’s architectural features, highlighting its design and craftsmanship.
• Abundant natural light is associated with a numberof health benefits, such as improved sleep and an increase in vitamin D production – so, when a potential buyer sees that you have lots of natural light in your home, the perception will be that your home is a healthy one, too.

If your home doesn’t get much natural light, there are a few ways to “fake it”. These include using mirrors to help reflect any light that comes in, avoiding dark-toned décor and dark walls, using bulbs that simulate sunlight, and including table or floor lamps for additional light.