While there may not be enough housing to meet market demands, selling a property shouldn't be rushed. First, buyers are increasingly discerning; second, first impressions are crucial. In summary, renovating to sell can be a profitable investment.
Experts from the renovation and repair platform Habitissimo suggest several strategies to enhance your home's appeal and sell faster. Furthermore, these upgrades often lead to a significant increase in property value, exceeding the initial investment.
Connecting spaces to gain space
If your house is small and the rooms are adjoining, consider removing partition walls to create an open-plan kitchen and living room, as open spaces are highly valued. While this renovation requires some investment, it will enhance your home's visual spaciousness and brightness.
To keep costs down, you don't have to remove the partition wall completely. You can leave it at half height and transform it into a breakfast bar, achieving a similar visual effect.
Update the kitchen and bathroom
These two rooms tend to attract the most attention, so they're key when renovating to sell. Let’s start with the kitchen, a space gaining importance in modern homes. Even a simple facelift can give impressive results.
There are plenty of cost-effective options, depending on the kitchen's condition. Vinyl flooring, a glass splashback, a new worktop, or simply repainting outdated tiles and cupboards can give the kitchen a fresh, updated look.
These ideas also work for the bathroom, but sometimes simply changing the mirror and taps, along with improved lighting, can create a striking effect. If you have two bathrooms with bathtubs, swapping one for a shower is an excellent solution.
Floors and walls like new
Floors and walls play a crucial role in attracting or deterring potential buyers. Since they show signs of wear first, refreshing them is essential if they’re not in perfect condition.
If your walls have popcorn paint, it's best to remove it. Otherwise, a fresh coat of paint in light, neutral colours is always a good idea. This enhances the sense of space, adds warmth, complements any style and helps avoid negative reactions.
For floors, wood is a timeless choice for its natural elegance and warmth. If you have parquet flooring, a fresh varnish can do wonders. If not, laminate flooring is a more affordable but equally appealing option and it can easily be laid over the existing floor.
A commitment to energy efficiency
When selling, you'll need to provide the energy certificate and energy prices, as energy efficiency is under increasing scrutiny. Efficiency upgrades can therefore help make your home more attractive to buyers.
The most common upgrade is replacing an old boiler with a more efficient one. However, consider upgrading your windows as well. Though a pricier investment, it’s highly effective in winning over potential buyers. Additionally, both improvements may qualify for public subsidies, potentially reducing your costs.
Furnishing to sell
Any of these renovations is a solid investment when selling, but for some properties, especially empty ones, you may need something more. Furnishing, even with just the basics, is a smart move. A furnished home looks more spacious and it helps buyers visualise living in the space or how they might furnish it themselves.
However, furnishing doesn’t mean using old, worn-out items or pieces lacking aesthetic appeal. The staging needs to be attractive; otherwise, it won’t have the desired impact.
Renovating to sell doesn't have to be expensive, nor does it always require carrying out a complete renovation of a property. It's important to put in the effort, as time is not on the seller's side. A property that lingers on the market may be a red flag for many buyers, making it harder to sell. Therefore, it's wiser to invest some money rather than miss out on valuable opportunities.