Thinking of selling up and wondering how you can increase the value of your home? This article will cover 10 interior design trends to help you out…
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The UK housing market has been something of a rollercoaster since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a number of highs and lows.
As experts predict a potential fall in house prices in the latter stages of 2022, many UK homeowners are looking to sell while the going is good. Selling your home can be a game of tug of war with buyers trying to negotiate the price on a house while sellers try to achieve the best price possible.
Keep reading for 10 ways to design your home to help boost its value…
1. Neutral Décor
When potential buyer views your home, they will automatically try to picture themselves living there, they’ll be imagining how the house might look when decorated and furnished to their taste.
You can help them to do this by keeping your decor as neutral as possible. Painting walls in neutral shades are relatively inexpensive but will add value to your home by attracting the right buyers.
2. Upgrade Your Kitchen and Bathroom
According to leading estate agents, one of the most effective ways of adding considerable value to your home is to focus on two important rooms, the kitchen and the bathroom.
These two rooms tend to be a considerable investment for buyers and so, making sure that your kitchen and bathroom are modern and stylish should be a priority.
If you don’t have the budget to pay for these rooms to be updated professionally, there are lots of videos and guides available on channels such as YouTube which will help you to keep costs down by doing the work yourself.
3. Convert Your Attic
If your home has an attic or a basement, there’s a good chance that it’s currently stuffed to the rafters with broken toys, old tools and other assorted (and useless) items.
While storage space is important in a home, it’s nowhere near as valuable as an extra room. Converting a loft or basement into an extra room can add a huge amount of value to your home – and it needn’t cost the Earth.
Clearing out the space and adding drywall and carpet will allow potential buyers to see the potential of the space for use as a spare bedroom, office or playroom – and can add between 10% and 21% to the value of your property.
Similarly, if your home has a garage which you don’t use, this can be converted into an extra room – and usually without too much expense if the space already has electrical outlets.
4. Make Your Home More Sustainable
Studies show that, in 2022, more and more buyers are actively seeking sustainable homes and they’re prepared to pay more for them.
Making a modest investment in modern energy-efficient appliances including energy and water-saving features, such as tap aerators, can make your home more attractive and more profitable.
You might also want to do a little research to see if your home is viable for solar power as this can add a considerable amount of value to your home. Although this will, of course, require a financial investment.
5. Improve Lighting Quality
When it comes to property, size matters. Even if you don’t have the square footage, you can create the illusion of larger rooms by keeping decor light and adding large mirrors to add depth. Strategic lighting can also help to create the illusion of space.
Try using wall lights and spotlights to brighten up corners and recesses which are shadowed as these tend to make a room look smaller. While you’re at it, it’s a great idea to update to energy efficient lighting as this is something which is fast becoming a priority for UK home buyers.
6. Ditch Old Carpets
When viewing a property, every viewer – no exceptions – will notice the flooring. Nothing is more off-putting than tired or old-fashioned carpet.
If your budget can stretch to it, wood or laminate flooring adds a clean and modern look to a room and, automatically adds perceived value to a buyer, therefore adding value to your home.
In your kitchen and bathroom, replace any old and tatty lino with faux wood (or the real stuff if you’re feeling flush) for an instant modern and luxe update. Needless to say, floors should always be spotlessly clean throughout the home.
7. Declutter Rooms
We’ve mentioned the use of lighting to create the illusion of space, the same goes for your furnishings. Too much (or too large) furniture can make a room look small and cramped and can decrease the perceived value of your home.
Before putting your home up for sale, have a major declutter and, if necessary, consider paying to put some of your furniture into storage for the duration of the selling process.
Clean, uncluttered spaces, with one or two interesting signature pieces, are not only more inviting to buyers but will allow them to more effectively picture a room with their own belongings in it.
As a bonus, decluttering will make your life easier when it comes time to move. You may even be able to raise a bit of cash by selling items that you no longer need.
8. Clear Up the Front of the House
The term ‘kerb appeal’ is bandied around an awful lot simply because it works. Potential buyers are judging your home from the moment that they arrive and, their very first impression will be formed by the frontage of your home.
For this reason, priority should be given to making this impression count – make sure that your front garden, path or drive is in good shape (no rusty gates or overgrown grass and weeds).
Also, pay attention to your front door and windows. A lick of paint and a good clean can go a long way to making your home look cared for and of value. In most cases, this is a quick fix that you can do yourself without having to fork out for the services of a landscaper or other professional.
9. Keep on Top of Trends
As with anything else, home interiors are subject to trends and, keeping up with these will serve you well when selling your property. Often, you can tap into these without too much expense or hassle.
For example, the current trend for cosy, farmhouse style kitchens will generally take just a small investment but can instantly update a room and add a fair amount of value to your home by making it appear updated and on-trend.
Get into the habit of looking at home interior blogs and magazines to ensure that you know what your potential buyers are looking for right now. It’s also a good idea to pay attention to colour trends. For example, at the moment, pale blue walls are having a bit of a moment, particularly for bedrooms (and are also good for creating the illusion of space in a room).
10. Keep a Tidy Garden
If your home has a garden or outdoor space, this could be a goldmine when selling your property. Since the pandemic, outdoor space has been more important than ever and even post-pandemic, lots of people are still choosing the convenience of entertaining at home.
Buyers are now actively looking for properties with great outdoor space so, you’ll want to highlight yours for added value. You can do this by first making sure that the garden is neat and tidy (it’s absolutely worth investing in the services of a professional for this).
You might also want to consider adding a vegetable patch as these are increasingly popular with homeowners who are looking to save cash while eating more healthily. Try adding some modern features such as a fire pit or modern barbecue to make the space look welcoming.
If you have the budget, you might also consider the purchase of a garden house which can be used for storing garden furniture and other items, or which can even be used as a home office or play space for children.
Paint
A fresh coat of paint always makes a home look fabulous, and it smells good too. It gets rid of scuff marks or furniture marks that you may have been overlooking and it will make your home look fresher and brighter. If you want to make your home, look bigger then opt for neutral colors. However, feature walls are still extremely popular, and they sit well in the dining room or living room. If you are good with a paintbrush, then you could do the work yourself. If you don’t have the time or the inclination, then it might be best to call in professional decorators. For example if you’re based in Australia, you can visit a site like sidepost.com.au, which is all in one stop for anything relevant to home improvement. Through them you will be able to find what you’re looking for; in this case a professional painter that’s local to you whether you are situated in Brisbane, Goldcoast or Sydney.
All the little things add up to added value…
When thinking about selling your home, you will of course, first be concentrating on major points such as structural issues, damage and other factors which may prevent a sale.
While these things are incredibly important, so too is the look of your home. Often, we stop noticing how our homes look (and smell) and, in fact, enjoy the ‘lived in’ aspect, but this won’t help you sell.
Before beginning work on your home, take a walk through and try to see it through the eyes of a potential buyer and note down the good, the bad and the ugly as this will provide a solid starting point.
From there, you can work through the house, one room at a time, to make improvements and update where necessary.
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