4 tips to increase the value of your home before selling

Selling your home is always a time of excitement because it often means you’re moving somewhere new perhaps because of a work promotion or even a new addition to the family.

Regardless of the reason, people buy and sell in every market, so it’s always wise to do what you can to potentially increase the sale price of your home.

And it doesn’t have to cost you a fortune, either!

Here are four tips to increase the value of your homes before selling.

1. Paint 

Paint is one of the most affordable ways to improve the look and feel of your home.

Applying a fresh colour palette to your home’s interior will instantly transform it from drab to fabulous.

Light colours can also give the impression of more space, which is especially useful in apartments or smaller homes.

Some sellers opt to paint the exterior of their homes as well, which is an added expense, however, if your property looks a bit tired, it can make a big difference to your final sale price because first impressions do count.

2. Declutter

One of the keys to securing a successful sale is to present a home that would-be buyers can imagine owning.

And that means depersonalising it by removing personal knick-knacks or family photos.

You want buyers to walk in and envisage how their belongings will look inside your home.

Not have them ponder why you still have your collection of sporting trophies from the 1980s still on display.

In the same vein, decluttering generally will make your home look larger.

3. Landscaping

Just like a good exterior paint job will give potential buyers a good first impression of your home so, too, will landscaping. 

We’ve all been too open for inspections and been put off by an overgrown garden or one that has outdoor furniture that has definitely seen better days.

Now, you don’t have to go out and buy a new outdoor setting, but what you can do is spend some time in the garden to make it look its best.

Weeding the garden, mowing the lawns, and disposing of any old furniture can make a big difference to the street appeal of your home.

And that means buyers will enter your property with a smile on their face, not a furrowed brow because they’ve had to gingerly tip-toe through the wilderness that is your front yard.

4. Update

Another tip to increasing the potential sale price of your home is to make simple upgrades to your kitchen and bathrooms.

While some people might choose to undertake significant renovations, such as updating appliances and bench tops, you can make minor changes that can fetch major rewards. 

These include updating cupboards with a fresh coat of paint and modern new door handles.

Likewise, in the bathroom, a good strategy is to re-grout tiles to a crisp mould-free white, as well as potentially add new vanity and light fixtures.

It makes sense to have your home looking its best when it’s time for you to move on.

And it doesn’t have to cost thousands of dollars to do so.

By undertaking a few simple upgrades you can not only improve your chances of securing a quick sale, but you can also give your home the best chance possible of achieving a strong sale price.

And then there will be a happy buyer and a very happy seller, too.

About Brett Warren Brett Warren is National Director of Metropole Properties and uses his two decades of property investment experience to advise clients how to grow, protect and pass on their wealth through strategic property advice.