...Continued from page 4
often need rooms to shut away white goods, Making over the garden
household waste, children and pets. It’s also Don’t neglect outdoor space during a property
essential to get the professionals in to make spruce-up. Gardens can be a room, or
sure you’re not bashing down load-bearing several rooms, in themselves. Remember, first
walls. impressions count, so cast a critical eye over
Kitchen-diners are a popular use of space, the approach to your home. A mere £50 will
but the sitting room was ranked the most cover a few pots or hanging baskets and a tin
important room in the house by respondents in of paint for the front door.
the Halifax survey. The most successful open- In the back garden, consider your potential
plan rooms tend to be ‘zoned’ to define space.
buyers. Busy professionals might be tempted by
Fitting central heating
low-maintenance paving, but families benefit
Fitting central heating is not the most inspiring
from a patch of grass to frolic on. Barbeques,
project, but it’s a must-do for anyone renovating
outdoor furniture and subtle lighting suggest a
a property without it. While other improvements
laid-back al-fresco lifestyle. Simple but attractive
have the potential to go wrong, central heating planting won’t scare off amateurs and will give
and a modern boiler are a safe bet. Figures expert gardeners room to make their mark.
from Nationwide suggest this can add 13% to
the value of a property.
Even if your property is already kitted out,
investment in a new high-efficiency boiler is
worth considering. These can cost £100-£200
more than conventional boilers, but will reduce
your heating bills and attract ‘green’ buyers.
Creating parking space
For many buyers, space for a car is a must-have.
Off road parking or a garage can be especially
advantageous in areas where parked cars line
both sides on the street. Again, you need to
think about your market. If you’re selling a five-
bed suburban home, it’s likely your buyers will
need to store one or two vehicles. A flat in the
middle of the city is a different matter.
Painting and decorating
Nationwide’s figures show that adding
Even without dramatic structural changes, good
a garage, which can cost anything between
presentation can have a real impact on the
£8,000 and £25,000, can increase the value
amount buyers are prepared to pay. Painting
of your property by 11%.
and decorating was ranked an equal second
Putting in a new bathroom (alongside a new kitchen) in the Halifax valuers
Bathrooms can quickly look shabby and dated.
list of improvements likely to add value.
A new one could set you back thousands, but
It may be tricky, but getting your property
it’s possible to get a decent suite for £500.
ready for sale means depersonalising it. Clutter
Don’t feel you have to stick to the tried and
can distract viewers and kitchens and bathrooms
tested combination of toilet, bath and shower.
should be spotlessly clean. A splash of paint
En-suite shower rooms and wet rooms are
can do wonders; neutral tones are the safest
increasingly popular.
bet. Keep it simple, fresh and inviting. Wafting
If you’re competing with newer properties
around the aroma of baking bread every time
then consider adding or re-arranging rooms
someone steps in the door might give the
to increase the bathroom-to-bedroom ratio.
impression you’re trying a bit too hard.
These days, even small properties tend to be
built with an en-suite leading from the master
Re-fitting the kitchen
bedroom in addition to a main bathroom.
Kitchens suffer serious wear and tear during
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