The current stamp duty holiday is clearly having the desired impact on home-owners who have since decided to put their property on the market. Many people will have their sights set on buying something bigger, or with features which are considered added value as the result of lockdown and quarantining. If you require more capital to make that next step up on the property ladder, you need to ensure your home is punching at its desired weight when it comes to a valuation. So if you’re looking to increase the value of your home, here are our five top tips to success!
Conversions vs. Extensions
According to Homeowners Alliance, 43% of buyers are looking for a larger home, hence if you’re one of them, it makes sense to maximise the amount of living space within your home prior to selling. The obvious solution is to build an extension but this can cost a considerable amount of money, as well as complications with planning regulations.
A less expensive, and easier, way of increasing the living space within your home is by transforming certain areas into more useful and more versatile spaces. A previously redundant loft space can be converted into an additional bedroom, and a garage can become home office. Neither of these options will affect your property’s footprint and both will cost significantly less than adding actual square footage. A loft conversion which adds a bedroom and an en-suite bathroom will boost the value of your property by an average of 21%.
Think About Floor Plans
Remodelling existing spaces is a great way of adding functionality, versatility and of course, value to your home. Large family kitchens have always been popular, but since lockdown, their appeal has grown dramatically as we spend more time in our homes, cooking and eating together as a family unit. With the huge increase of people now working from home, many new home buyers will be looking for home studies, so it makes sense to create a dedicated work from home space. Even in the smallest of spaces, such as a box room or alcove, it’s often possible to fit a desk and vertical shelving. If that’s not an option, why not turn a bedroom into a multipurpose space with a fold-down bed and office storage. Take a look at your current floor plan and see how a redesign could improve your home interior and its price tag.
Savvy Storage
It goes without saying that no homeowner ever complained about having too much storage space! Over the years, we gather many possessions and finding a place to keep them all can prove troublesome. Newly built homes often lack effective storage space and this can be a problem for families with young children. Without adequate storage solutions a home can easily become cluttered, disorganised and stressful as a result.
Fitted furniture will take up considerably less space than freestanding alternatives, designed to seamlessly hug the contours of your room so that all space is fully maximised. There are numerous clever storage solutions you could include in your bespoke design, such as stable doors to ajoin to another unit, and bridging units above the bed. Both will be made to your exact specifications to cater for the particular type of belongings you wish to store there.
What’s Outside Matters
For an increasing number of home buyers, a pleasant outdoor space is a priority when considering properties. If you do have a garden, a few simple changes can make a huge difference to your home’s guide price. Ensure walls and fences are secure, lay good quality paving or decking and consider purchasing a decent sized shed for outdoor storage.
These practical elements will all contribute to the value of your home, but you should also make sure that your garden space is tidy and appealing. A well maintained, attractive garden can add a whopping 20% to the value of a property. When selling a home, you are also selling a lifestyle, so make sure your garden is one in which buyers can envisage themselves happily relaxing or entertaining.
Drive up The Value
Your house is most probably your most valuable asset, however your car will likely feature on your list of prized possessions too. Hence any off road parking will often be considered as essential and could make or break the deal. In fact a driveway could add tens of thousands of pounds to the value of your home. If you have a garage which is crammed with clutter, ensure you clear it as best you can so that viewers can envisage its full potential.
At Hartleys, we are experts in creating and installing bespoke storage solutions for bedrooms and home offices. If you are considering remodelling your living spaces to increase the value of your home, our skilled designers can work with you to turn even the most awkward of spaces into an attractive and multi-functional living area. Call us on 01756 700471 or contact us via our website.
