Cheap/easy ways to add value to a property...

[YourVagesty]

Hi all,

I'm renovating a property to sell and so far have spent a lot of money on 'big stuff'. I'm at the end of the renovation now and wondered what genius tips you might have to help lift the value a bit more? I changed the name of the property yesterday for example, to something more desirable. I'm thinking that there must be things that I haven't thought of? Just little bits and pieces that won't cost be £££s

For background - the house has been fully gutted and brought back to life. Electrics, insulation, damp proofing and replastering has been done throughout. It's been painted throughout. The kitchen needed ripping out so that is being replaced as we speak. All floors have been sanded and varnished. So it's basically a clean shell now. But what else? There must be other things that i'm not thinking of?

Thanks all!

Cleaning. My God, clean it.

Don't let people wander in, brush up against something and find their clothes covered in dust.

Clean, clean, clean and clean again. Even if you end up vacuuming the walls and ceilings.

After that, details. The odd bits missed by the painter and plasterers, the light switch accidentally caught by the paint brush, the odd one out light bulb that's a different tone to the rest in the room.

The outside, as PPs said, matters too.

Soap, towels, paper and a discreet air freshener for the toilets - in case viewers need to use the loo before they go.

namechangedtoday15 these sorts of things might not add value as such, but they’ll get people through door and the more interested viewers, the higher the chance of a bidding war. If two parties fall in love with the house, the op could end with an extra few thousand.

Don't overdo the air freshener, scented candles or diffusers; a little of a subtle fragrance is ok but anything more and a potential buyer may think you are trying to cover up a bad smell (i.e. a "problem").

If it's a fine day, open the windows for a couple of hours (and close them before viewings if appropriate). Costs nothing. May not add value, but may help saleability, which is the same thing, in my book.

Whatever you finally do, everything must be immaculate.

The least little thing that might put a buyer off will result in them dropping their price, even before they get to survey.

And I know that you are almost done, OP, but for anyone else doing similar:

A red kitchen costs the same as a white kitchen.
Navy blue paint costs the same as white paint.
Pink, black and yellow spotty bedding, curtains, cushions and throws cost the same as taupe, cream or grey bedding, curtains, cushions and throws.

If attempting to appeal to the maximum number of potential buyers, make your fixtures, fittings and colour scheme restrained, subtle and hopefully expensive looking. Lift the 'blandness' with a vase of spring flowers, some lovely towels or other items that you plan to take with you.

Tyrions i doubt a painted shed and staging would encourage people to get into a bidding war, I think most buyers are more intelligent than that, but even then, a house still has to be valued for a mortgage company. A surveyor is not interested in the paint / staging etc so if a buyer gets carried away because a property has been staged, they're likely to have a bit of a shock when the value comes in.

There's a remote possibility that a deluded buyer would still proceed at the inflated price they offered, but that's not the value of the house if you see what I mean! The OP asked what would add value (presumably so estate agents/ majority of buyers would offer more, not just the 1% buyers that might get carried away in a bidding war )

I think advice to furnish and stage a house are a little short sighted the as the up has put minimal det ails.

If the house value is now £350k with a possible £80k profit in it for the op - yes, stage it.

If the value is £90k with £20k profit in, I'd rather encourage people in by knocking £5k off rather than go to the hassle of furnishing it...at that price, people won't expect it.