Boost the value of your home

Here are some more tips for giving your home a makeover and making sure you get that selling price

Family moving in

Make the most of what you’ve got
To transform your home without embarking on a card-stretching shopping spree, consider re-arranging your furniture.

Kerb appeal
Many house-hunters make decisions based on first impressions – so pay attention to the outside of your home. Clear any rubbish from the exterior, pressure-wash walls and consider buying some cheap plants to add colour. ‘Kerb appeal’, as it’s known, can add up to 10% to the value of your home.

Give your home a paint job
However, you should choose your colours wisely. Your front door is the first thing to paint if it’s at all tired looking. The entrance hall is your next priority, followed by any part of the house where the paint looks tired or dirty.

Lend your home light and space
If time or money is tight, then buying higher power light bulbs, opening curtains and clearing clutter from windowsills can help. You should also open your windows before any viewing to circulate air throughout the house – keep it brief in the middle of winter, however.

Deluxe makeovers
If you do have money to spend, however, then the top home improvements according to Andrew Winter, presenter of Channel 4’s Selling Houses, are:

• Update your kitchen and bathroom with the latest applicances
• Have your loft converted to add space - but resist the temptation to put two rooms up there. One large room or a bedroom and ensuite is better
• Improve your exteriors by painting and adding good windows
• Smarten up your garden - fix the fences and consider adding a patio or deck

Last updated 05 June 2005