“Your property may well be your most valuable asset, so it’s a good idea to seek professional advice and assistance when it comes to upgrading or altering it. By working with a professional, you stand a greater chance of achieving your asking price.” — Mike Greeff, CEO, Greeff Christie’s International Real Estate
Cleanliness
Let’s start small and simple. First impressions last, so make a memorable one by ensuring your property is clean, both inside and out. Wash the walls, dust the skirtings, cut the grass and trim the verges — these little considerations go a long way towards impressing a prospective buyer.
A fresh coat of paint
Nothing reinvigorates a home like a new (okay, who are we kidding?) two or three new coats of paint. We’d advise going for a neutral palette; not only is this colour scheme universally appealing, it’s easier for a viewee to picture their furniture and appliances in the room.
Modernise
Chances are your handles, fixtures, flooring and finishes could use an upgrade. Modernisations can include upgrading your electrics and plumbing, as well as replacing outdated carpets with new flooring to add tons of value and appeal to your home.
Let the light in
Cast your mind back to when you were on the lookout for property. Can you imagine walking into a dark, unwelcoming room and wanting to see more? It’s a bit of a deterrent, isn’t it? Introducing natural light into a room makes it more inviting and gives you room to play with the layout. Consider the following to let the light in:
- Introducing skylights effectively brightens rooms lacking in natural light.
- Upgrading to aesthetically pleasing options like French doors opens up the space and lets the light — and garden — in.
- Positioning doors and windows correctly can accentuate beautiful views and hide lesser ones, such as a neighbour’s brick-walled garage.
Overhaul your kitchen and bathroom
While this is one of the more costly solutions, the price is greatly offset by the sheer value these upgrades will add to your property. You can choose one of two ways here:
- You can decide to change only parts of the room, such as flooring, cabinets or a feature or two. For example, a new stove plate for the kitchen and a new sink for the bathroom.
- Or you can go the distance and completely gut the space in a quest to reimagine the rooms. This would involve a complete overhaul of each space, from floor to ceiling.
Build additional rooms and features
In the grand scheme of adding value to your property, consider this the ‘grand’ part. Building additional spaces such as bathrooms, bedrooms and garages add square footage to your property and make it far more appealing on paper. And you don’t necessarily have to start from scratch, either — transforming an attic or basement into another bedroom is a viable way of doing this.
While we’re talking about large-scale additions, consider putting in a pool should you have the space. This is often the clincher for when a buyer is deciding whether or not to put an offer in.
Get a property valuation before listing
It’s important to get expert advice on how your property can be improved. By choosing to make the necessary alterations before going to market, you greatly increase the chances of getting the price you want the first time round, instead of having to go back to the drawing board down the line.
We’d like to prove to you that property upgrades, alterations and modernisations really do add value to your asset. For free property valuations before and after your cosmetic improvements, join our growing community of investors at the Greeff Investor’s Club, here. This informational hub of all things property will help you navigate the market with up-to-date news, statistics and insights you won’t find elsewhere.
