To Renovate Or To Not Renovate?
The One Question We All Ask Ourselves Prior to Selling
When you’re getting your home ready to hit the market, renovating is a major factor that needs weighing up. The big question we need to ask ourselves: Does the cost of these renovations make a difference to our pocket come auction day? We sat down with property experts, Pulse Property to find out.
“When renovating to sell, keep it simple, don’t try to overdo it. Many buyers will want to make their own changes to a new home whether or not you update it. Ensure that when making changes you make practical ones. Always keep things neutral and look for ideas from other homes online.”
Painting, landscaping, kitchens and bathrooms are the four most common areas of concern for sellers says, Pulse. To help you decide if or what renovation is right for you, we’ve broken them down below.
Painting
A lick of paint has the ability to transform the interior or exterior of a house. Would you prioritise painting the interior, exterior or both?
A fresh coat of paint is truly liquid gold for renovators and will transform dated kitchens, bathrooms, interiors or exteriors. As most people would usually spend the majority of their time inside the home, we would usually recommend painting the interior of the property first.
When it comes to the interior walls, what are your go-to colour recommendations?
At the moment, neutral is best. We would recommend a white, something like Lexicon Quarter from Dulux or Cotton Ball from Taubmans. These are our fave.
Would you say a fresh coat of paint offers the most bang for your buck?
You will be amazed at what a fresh coat of paint will do to your home. Both internally and externally. We do believe that paint along with great styling of a property will ensure amazing results.
Image credit: Gallerie B Interiors
2. Landscaping
Is it worth investing in the street presence of your home?
Yes! Street and entrance appeal are two major pointers. A lot of buyers will often do a “drive-by" of a property before viewing. Not only to have a look at the location of the home and its surrounds, but to see what the property looks like from the front.
What are the three biggest landscaping essentials?
Make it low maintenance, cover-up dirt patches with turf and top garden beds with pebbles or mulch. Be sure to trim back all hedges, bushes and trees.
The best quick landscaping fixes?
High-pressure cleaning of driveways and paths is a major plus. We would recommend that you do this as well as give your entire facade a good clean. Placing pebbles and mulch in the garden beds is a great way to cover up unwarranted dirt and keep everything looking fresh and tidy!
3. Kitchen
The kitchen and the bathroom are the biggest selling points of a home so are they worth renovating?
This is super dependent on the home. Let’s say for example that if we are selling an entirely original home that is likely to sell to a developer then we wouldn’t recommend doing any major updates at all as it’s highly likely that the home would be demolished (STCA).
Rather than replacing a whole kitchen, what are your more budget-friendly options?
There are plenty of budget-friendly options if you choose to re-do an entire kitchen. Places like Bunnings offer Kaboodle kitchens, which usually come relatively cheap, minus appliances and taps etc. Painting or re-coating of cupboard doors will completely freshen up a kitchen, along with new hardware on the cupboards. These are really easy, cost-effective changes that are worth looking at.
If someone does embark on a complete kitchen renovation, what’s your best advice?
Ensure that your design is function over form, practicality is a massive plus. Storage is also very important. A neutral design is a great option if deciding to completely renovate a kitchen.
4. Bathroom
Is a complete bathroom renovation worth it come auction day?
Bathrooms are very personal so we would advise steering clear of a complete bathroom renovation. Instead, consider ways in which you can make the space look fresh and tidy.
What are some smaller, more budget-friendly fixes people can make?
Again, painting the tiles is a quick, cheap and easy way to brighten up a bathroom. You could also update the fixtures, showerheads and fittings and consider things like lighting and fresh towels. These small changes will make a big difference come auction day. As always, keep things neutral.
It’s evident that the question of whether to renovate or not renovate depends on your home and budget, but this simple maintenance checklist by Pulse is something all sellers can follow.
Checklist
Cobwebs
Clean exterior and interior windows
Mow lawn
Weeds
Clean out gutters
Hose outdoor furniture
Scrub marks from walls
Patching holes
Replace old/broken lights
Declutter and depersonalise
Clean pool if applicable
Style to show how to best utilise the space
Image credit: The Hired Home
Similar to home renovations, strategic property styling adds undeniable value to your home. Pulse suggests three options when it comes to styling your home to sell. Each has its pros and cons and the right fit depends on your time, budget and whether you're confident at styling. To find out which option best suits you, click here .
p.s. need a trade?
Deciding to renovate your home is one thing, but finding the right trade can feel like a whole new ball game. To help, Pulse has a trades list of local, trusted and fully qualified tradesmen. We’re talking painters, flooring, plumbers, electricians and more. You don’t have to be a Pulse client to grab a copy, it’s on hand and available to anyone that needs it. Simply email Pulse here and request their ‘Trades List’.
Posted December, 2021