If you are looking to sell, undoubtedly you’re keen to sell your property for the most amount of money possible. You may well have read numerous articles on how to add value to your property but often these suggestions come with a hefty price tag.
However they don’t need to. Here are five fixes for under $1000 that can make significant improvements to your property, help attract more buyers, boost your valuation and help sell for a higher price.
Replace the Flooring – Up to $1,000 a Room
Whilst many people think replacing the flooring is expensive, it doesn’t need to be, there are affordable and effective options available.
A good lino to replace some old tiles or to be placed on top of old tiles can transform a room. Advances in vinyl flooring design has enabled high resolution digital photographs of natural timber, stone and other flooring to be transferred to the vinyl flooring, giving a stylish final effect. Lino is economical, durable, comfortable under foot and endures heavy traffic.
For supply and installation you should expect to pay $30 / square metre for budget vinyl flooring, $35 – $45 / square metre for standard quality and $55 – $90 for vinyl plank flooring.
Also, consider whether the carpet can be steam cleaned to bring it back up to scratch rather than needing replacement.
Pressure Clean your exterior – $70 to $150 a Day
This will take a bit of manual work on your behalf but the rewards are worth it. Hire a pressure cleaner from your local hire company and spray away any exterior grime from the paths, on decking, on pot plants, walls, windows…really anywhere you find grime. Whislt this will take a few hours the result is worth it.
Do this before considering any external re-painting and you may save yourself a few thousand dollars, as it often comes up looking brand new.
Re-Surfacing Tiles – $1,000
Buyers love a nice bathroom and it’s one room that can make or break a sale. So if your room is in structurally good condition, but it is a horrible colour having your bathroom resurfaced can make a big difference.
This takes approximately one day and will involve someone coming in and spraying everything, including the old tiles. You will go from having an ugly bathroom to what looks like a new space almost instantly. Bigger bathrooms will cost more than $1000. Additionally, replacing the vanity can cost around $300 from your local hardware store and these too can also help transform the space.
If your kitchen benchtop is tired, consider replacing it with a laminate benchtop. Laminate is hard hard-wearing and economical with prices ranging from $120 – $270 per lineal metre. You’d be surprised the difference this can make the space.
Replace handles and doors – $6 and $50 respectively
An easy and impactful fix for the kitchen and bathroom is to replace the doors and handles on your cabinets. Your local hardware store will have some economical handle choices and all it will take is a bit of elbow grease from you to swap them over with the old ones.
You may also consider swapping the cabinet doors or re-painting them if your budget can stretch a bit further.
Bring in some light
Buyers love light! So if your rooms are looking dark, frequently the problem is inappropriate window furnishing.
By removing the old heavy curtains and installing new blinds on the windows can be great, depending where they are located on the property.
Generally, windows to the rear of the property or the sides don’t need blinds or curtains, its only the front where you need them. Replace heavy curtains or shabby blinds with slim line venetians or roller blinds. These cost approximately $60-$130 a pack.
Another tip is to make sure your light fittings and windows are clean to get the most light possible.
A few extra free or super cheap jobs
- A nice lawn is popular with buyers so spend a hour and mow the lawn (either DIY or hire help for $20+ per hour). If your neighbour has an ugly looking front yard, consider offering to mow theirs as well for the home open!
- Have a look at your powerpoints, if any are broken or outdated replace them ($17 from Bunnings and a bit of electrical know-how)
- Make sure the house is spotless. Either do it yourself or get a professional cleaner in to help. They cost approximagely $25 per hour
