Your home is one of the most valuable possessions you will ever own and the value retained within your property is the main reason why many people choose to buy a house instead of simply renting it. However, with a difficult economy and a tough housing market overall, increasing the value of your home without spending extra money should be at the forefront of every homeowner’s mind.
Here are 5 tips on how you can use interior design techniques to contribute towards the value of your property.
- Keep your colours neutral. When decorating your house, a neutral pallet will be more beneficial to your sales efforts. Neutral colours will help potential buyers more easily visualise themselves living in the property without distracting them too much with your own personal tastes.
- Make your home feel bigger. It is possible to make your home feel bigger visually using various techniques. For example, replace heavy drapes or curtains with light coloured vertical blinds or make rooms feel bigger by placing mirrors in a focal point of a room- the reflection will make the room seem twice as big.
- Update bathrooms and kitchens. The two rooms that will benefit the most from a re-vamp are the kitchen and bathroom. Replace tired plumbing and lighting fixtures, appliances and cupboard units.
If you have the budget, replacing the flooring with new, higher end flooring will offer a higher return on investment when you come to sell the property. Materials such as wood, stone or tile offer the best ROI.
- Tidy the lawn. Ensuring that the lawn and outside of your property is in good condition is an important factor when trying to get the best possible price for your property. Make sure there are no overgrown shrubs and bushes and that the lawn isn’t patchy or discoloured. The outside of your property will form the first impression of the house, and as the old saying goes ‘First impressions count!’
- De-clutter the garage. Not every home has a garage, therefore a fully usable garage is a great asset. Spend some time clearing out all of the clutter that tends to accumulate in garages, perhaps even building in some extra storage space. Being able to show buyers around the garage so that they fully appreciate its size will greatly improve your sales prospects.
Investing the time and money into improving your home now will allow you to reap the monetary benefits when the time comes to sell, but will also allow you to enjoy the improvements whilst you are still living there.
Do you have any interior design tips? Tell us about them!