It’s been a rollercoaster few years for the housing market. There was a boom following the easing of lockdown restrictions in 2020, but this May property prices fell at the fastest rate for nearly 14 years.
Interest rate hikes to combat inflation have been a significant factor, making it harder for buyers to get affordable mortgages. If you’re still keen to move but want to make sure you get a decent price for your home, it could be worth considering one of these investments.
Photo by Alex Staudinger: https://www.pexels.com/photo/sun-piercing-of-brown-concrete-house-near-sea-1732414/
Build a garden office
Although fewer people are working from home than at the peak of the coronavirus outbreak, around one in five now operate on a hybrid basis – roughly twice the pre-pandemic number.
Home offices are therefore more important than ever. Converting a garage or building a new structure for this purpose will make your property significantly more appealing.
Redo the kitchen
As one of the most important rooms in the home, it’s worth considering whether your kitchen could do with a renovation.
Having a modern kitchen installed immediately makes a property more attractive, as prospective buyers know they won’t need to fork out for it.
Updated worktops, cabinetry and fittings can also make it easier for people to visualise themselves living in the space.
Go open plan
If you feel like your kitchen could use a bit more space, knock through a wall to create an open-plan living area.
This can help enhance the flow of natural light through the house, bringing a bright and spacious feel to the central part of the property.
However, if you already have a large kitchen then this may not be the best idea – the last thing you want to do is create a cavernous room that feels soulless.
Think about kerb appeal
They say you should never judge a book by its cover, and the same could be said of houses. However, as one of the first things buyers will see is the outside of your property, try to make it look as good as possible.
That could be a fresh coat of exterior paint, weeding the front garden, or just tucking your wheelie bins out of sight.
Convert the loft
Lofts are often underutilised and simply become a bit of a dumping ground for odds and ends we can’t find a place for.
Turning that wasted space into habitable rooms could have a significant impact on the value of your property. Even if you just manage to get an extra bedroom from it, you’ll be able to increase the asking price and widen your pool of potential buyers.
