We recently read an article in the Daily Mail which talked about ‘the great home makeover boom: thousands decide to improve, not move’
It is very clear that there has been a lot of debate as to whether or not it’s worth existing property owners to be moving house.
A few years ago it was simple – you moved house when you were no longer happy. These days in the difficult housing market and the recession (or shall we say depression), it’s very hard to sell your house.
As more and more of us find ourselves on the property ladder – it’s come to our attention that now is the time that we have to try and overcome the common problem of how to finance a new home, as well as running out of space in the homes we have.
Take a look around your local streets and you will see Planning Applications and skips! And many have turned to improving their home rather than going through the hassle and financial implications of moving.
Take a look at the following ways you could consider improving your home too…
Ever thought about Extending?
The easiest way to add value is to add an extra room – why not think about extending your home with a new loft space or conservatory, or even try adding an extra bedroom.
If it’s the disruption you are worried about, then don’t – most of the work in a loft conversion can be done from outside – meaning there wont be as much disruption as you initially anticipated.
Paint the House
Décor is very important in your home, it sets the tone and shares your personality. Be sure to consider the ideal colours for every room in your home, and choose wisely! Colour is very emotive and affects how we feel – therefore it can enhance our mood as well as the environment.
If renovating to sell your home, then you need to consider getting others through the front door – so be sure to have the outside of your home looking as spick and span as possible. If nothing else, try to make it so that your home at least looks better than your neighbours!
Add More Storage Space
Storage is a real selling point and lack of it is a real turn off as well as decreasing the value of your property. Make use of every bit of spare space you can find, and either build shelves or fit doors to create cupboards. Look around for any dead space e.g. the side of the chimney, or at the end of the corridor!
Tip: Don’t forget to look above – you can never have too much storage space, and one of the best ways of increasing it is to use the ceiling voids.
Make Your Property the Pick of the Bunch
If you make your property more attractive – purely in cosmetic terms than the rest of the street, then providing it is structurally sound and in a good state of repair, then your sale price will automatically be higher.
In other words, just by decluttering, adding a lick of paint and careful styling, it’s possible to add 5-10% to the value of your property!
Compared to moving, it is a far more cost effective solution and you won’t have to suffer with all the stress and bother that comes with moving. Just think about it – when done right, you can actually end up with a house that you dream of; that meets the needs of you and your family. This along with fact that you won’t be spending as much!
So what would you rather do – improve or move?
By Tony Fitz-Costa. Check me out on Google+
Shelfstore is a system of creating furniture, shelving and storage solutions around your ideas – in any size, and to fit your space.
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what do you think?