Every year, millions of Brits buy and sell homes. Naturally, those who are buying are seeking the best home for their budget, whereas those who are selling are often chasing the highest possible offers to enable their next move.
Taking advantage of this year’s big trends, and having a finger on the pulse of what prospective buyers are looking for is essential for ensuring sellers get the best deal possible. Whether you’re looking to sell in 2024, or investing further in your current space to enjoy before moving on, there are lots of ways to make a great first impression and get better offers on your home.
Here, Beth Boulton, Marketing Director at leading home improvement specialists, Eurocell, lists six actionable tips on how you can add real value to your home.
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Spruce up the front of your home to add kerb appeal
One of the first places to begin adding value to your home actually starts outside of it. Kerb appeal is extremely important to potential buyers, as having an attractive frontage to your property can make you feel happier overall about your home.
An attractive entrance to a home is massively important to buyers, and a new front door can really help nudge up your kerb appeal. Composite doors are both stylish and secure, come in a range of colours and sizes, and are great noise-isolating devices, especially for those living on busy streets.
A tidy, attractive and vibrant front garden can also be a benefit when selling your home, as those first images on estate agent websites can boost the amount of interest in a property when it first hits the market, ultimately leading to a better price.
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Invest in new windows
Older properties often come with old, or even their original windows, which are prone to leaks and draughts. They’re also one of the features that prospective buyers consider when looking to purchase a new home.
Upgrading PVC-U windows not only improves the overall energy efficiency of your home but can also add up to 10% to the value of your property.
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Add bi-fold doors to let the light in
A modern feature that buyers look for in a home is bi-fold doors. Light is much more of a priority for today’s buyers, and a wall of glass is a fantastic way to capture as much of that light as possible, really helping to elevate a space and even improve our mental health.
There are structural considerations to account for when installing bi-fold doors due to their weight and making sure there is enough structural support for the masonry above it. Buyers should be aware that a new heavy-duty or rolled steel lintel will likely be required, often determined by a structural engineer – an added expense, but one that could add up to 10% to the value of a home.
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Bring the indoors out with composite decking
The seamless transition from indoor to outdoor space is a big attraction to buyers at the moment, and a well-designed decking area joining onto your property is a fantastic way to extend the buyer’s perception of livable space between the home and garden.
For those looking to create a hard-wearing and long-lasting decking area, non-slip composite decking could be exactly what you’re looking for. It’s fade-resistant too, meaning all you need to do is choose a colour, install it, and then sit back and relax!
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Exterior makeovers with cladding
Older homes often come with unsightly, tired brickwork, which can quickly put off prospective buyers. While many newer homes are built with more aesthetically pleasing rustic bricks, older properties can look somewhat one-dimensional in appearance.
Adding cladding to exterior walls can instantly shake off any negative first impressions. It’s worth remembering that any major renovations to the exterior of a property will likely require planning permission, but a more attractive, modern look can instantly add between 10% and 15% to the value of a home.
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Turn your conservatory into a modern home extension
Having a conservatory doesn’t necessarily add value to your home, at least, not like it used to. A lot of conservatories in the UK were built 10 to 20 years ago, with many of them now requiring new windows and roofs. They also act as heat traps during summer but stay cold in winter, meaning it’s not always possible to make the best use of them throughout the year.
It is possible to modify your existing conservatory into something more resembling a modern house extension, but within the same footprint and typically without requiring planning permission. A quick and easy conservatory replacement like this does add value to your home and also makes it easier to use that space throughout the whole year.
Beth Boulton, Marketing Director at leading home improvement specialists, Eurocell, said: “Trends are constantly changing, but there are some things that buyers across the country are looking for.
“Since the COVID-19 pandemic, outdoor space has become much more important to new buyers, and strong kerb appeal is key to attracting plenty of eyes to your property listing online. First impressions really matter so a tidy and colourful frontage can drastically cut down the amount of time your property is on the market, as well as get you a better price.
“For larger families, more people require more space, and with that outdoor room being so important, creating a space outdoors that bridges the gap between indoor and outdoor living can really pique a buyer’s interest. Pair a new composite deck with attractive bi-fold doors, and homeowners can quickly and easily add serious value onto their property.”
