Top Five Ways to Increase Your Home’s Value

Last Updated on October 26, 2011

Negative equity is something that all homeowners fear. Fortunately, it’s possible to protect your property investment with a few judicious home improvements. Investing money up-front to improve your home will not only serve you well while you live there, it will pay off when you come to sell. Even if you’re on a limited budget, it’s possible to make minor home improvements that will entice buyers into paying more for your home. Hopefully the following tips will give you some ideas for easy home improvements that will make your home fetch more on the market.

Go Energy Efficient: Check your home out from top to bottom. Fit draft excluders (a cheap and cheerful upgrade), change your light bulbs to energy efficient ones, and check out your loft insulation. These simple improvements will save you money in the short term, and increase your home’s potential value on the market too. More expensive energy savers include double glazing and cavity wall insulation, although in certain areas you may qualify for a grant so make sure you investigate all options fully.

Install a water filter: How much do you spend on bottled water and replacement jug filters? A water filter will save you time and money in the long term. It’s only a small luxury, and it doesn’t cost much to install, but it’s a big hit with many home buyers.

Sort out your garden: First impressions count. If your garden is overgrown, messy, and unkempt, then buyers will have a negative impression of your home before they even step inside. Create a positive first impression, and they’ll be more receptive when they take the interior tour.

Upgrade your boiler: Old water heaters use big tanks, and cost a lot of money to run. Tankless water heaters (such as a combi-boiler for example) are more energy efficient, and offer instant hot water when you want it. This saves money, is better for the environment, and is more convenient too.

Consider a loft conversion: If your home is a little small, why not get a loft conversion? If may be that a dormer loft conversion would allow you to stay in your home rather than selling it to move somewhere bigger. Even if you still move, a loft conversion should pay off in increased home value when you move, and could speed up the sale of the house too.

Some of the above suggestions are quick and easy jobs that can be done in a day or a weekend. Others, such as a replacement boiler or a loft conversion, may take longer, but they’re well worth it.

Be aware that not all home improvements are an instant increase in home value. If you opt for a lot of upgrades on your home (for example a conservatory, loft conversion full insulation, and new heating), you might push it too far beyond what other homes in the area have in terms of upgrades, and you could end up making your home less desirable to buyers. Check with an estate agent for a rough idea before you spend too much money on home improvements.

This post was written by James Harper on behalf of Buckley Loft Conversions, the experts in loft conversions Birmingham and loft conversions Staffordshire. James writes on subjects relating to home improvement.