In the life of an average person, buying a house is considered a major investment. It’s simply one of the most important things we do as we become adults – get a loan and buy a house. It’s a smart move, of course. Real estate is a generally safe investment because people will always need houses (and you obviously can’t grow more land to build them on). So it makes sense that, if need be, you can sell your home.
Words: Chloe Smith
However, making a profit by selling your house is not always a sure thing. It depends on many factors, and most of them – like national trends of inflation – are not within your power to change. Luckily, there are some things you can do to make sure you sell your real estate for top dollar. Here are some upgrades that you can make which can increase the value of your home.
- Good landscaping can be a major selling point
A beautiful garden will help sell your house. Take good care of your lawn, and don’t let any bald patches or yellowing ruin its beauty. Make sure your shrubs are trimmed and check your trees for dead branches regularly. Be careful about flower beds, though. Not everyone likes too much color outside, and many people don’t enjoy gardening at all, so a high-maintenance garden may not be very appealing to them. Therefore, it is a good idea to use the plants that don’t require too much work.
- Add water features or play equipment
Water features are gaining popularity in Australia and other warmer parts of the world. Water freshens up any space, and the sound of running water is very soothing for the vast majority of people. That means that adding any water feature, small or big, will almost certainly make your home more attractive to buyers, which means that they’ll be willing to pay more for it. On the other hand, if you have children, it’s not a bad idea to strategically place the play equipment, such as sandboxes or tree houses. They shouldn’t be immediately visible, because not everybody has children and most people don’t want a playground in the middle of the yard. However, it shouldn’t be too far from the house, because moms need to keep an eye on the kids at all times.
- Refresh the exterior
A battered-looking home is never a pretty sight, so re-paint your house if there is any need to do so. It will give it a fresher and more appealing appearance. Be careful about the colors, though. Don’t go crazy with bold shades. Keep in style with the rest of the neighborhood – if all the other houses are in pastels and creams, make sure yours is too, even if wouldn’t be your personal choice. If the rest of the houses are cheerfully colorful, make yours blend it with them. That way, you don’t risk the buyer dismissing your house because they don’t like your personal style.
- A wooden deck is a beautiful addition
According to the 2014 Residential Landscape Architecture Trends Survey, 98% of buyers expressed a wish for their new house to have a deck or a patio. Sure, making a wooden deck is a big investment. It also requires quite a bit of work. Thankfully, you can find good materials and trustworthy professionals, as well as reliable electric forklift trucks in Australia, if you know where to look. However, once you’ve finished the job, you will have a beautiful place to relax in the evenings, and your house will be more attractive and worth more than before.
- Make an outdoor living space
Outdoor living space is all the rage right now. It provides us with a place for relaxation and entertainment, and they’re great for warmer months. It can be a deck or a patio, but nowadays people are building outside kitchens and living rooms, complete with TVs! Of course, you don’t have to go all-out with this, but a nice mini-kitchen with a grill can go a long way in increasing the value of your home. And if you have the means and desire to build a real kitchen, sink included, then go for it! You will definitely enjoy it, and if you decide to sell your home, you’ll be able to get a better price!
- Everybody likes fire pits
Of course, if you don’t like the idea of a full-blown kitchen outside of your real kitchen, you can still make a fire pit or an outdoor fireplace. It’ll be wildly popular, if only for the s’mores. It will also provide warmth during chilly nights, and it will give a sense of coziness to your home. You and your family will definitely enjoy it, but it will look attractive to the outsiders as well, making your house easier to sell.
If you ever decide to sell your home, make sure you sell it for top dollar. With these simple tricks, you can increase the value of your home.