4 things to focus on when renovating to sell

If you’ve thought about selling, you’re probably aware of how well the current property market is doing. It’s fair to say that properties have never been as hot as they are right now. So, you may be wondering why it would even be worth renovating if the market is so healthy right now?

Well, with current travel bans and snap lockdowns, people want a home that they can utilise for both down time and work. Homebuyers are looking for truly multi-functional properties – and those of us who would normally spend their savings on things like overseas holidays are taking the opportunity to upgrade to a better home.

So, what are some of the main things you should focus on when renovating to sell?

Assess flooring

One of the largest elements in a home is the flooring. And while you may not notice scuffs on the wooden floorboards or a crack in the tiling, you can be sure that potential buyers will pick up on these blemishes.

We’re not suggesting you re-do all your flooring – unless of course, there’s rotten floorboards or water damage. A cost-effective refresh can be achieved by giving floorboards a polish or laying down fresh carpet in the bedrooms. And you’ll be surprised how good some dirty tile grout can look after a deep, professional clean.

Fresh paint

One of the best ways to refresh a home is also one of the simplest. A fresh coat of paint can do wonders at transforming the look and feel of a home. And this doesn’t just apply to interior walls. Whether you have panelling, brick or render, your home’s exterior can also be refreshed with some paint.

Since the ultimate goal of this refresh is to sell the property, we recommend choosing colours that are fairly neutral. This way, you’re more likely to appeal to a broad audience and achieve a better sale outcome. If you do want to get creative with a bolder colour, save this for the front door to give potential buyers a memorable feature.

Add home office

Ah, the humble home office. While in previous years home offices were considered a “nice to have”, these days they make up a crucial element of a home – almost as important as a bathroom or kitchen. Hybrid working is here to stay, so the trend for home offices will continue long after lockdowns cease.

And you don’t necessarily need to perform an extensive renovation to include a home office – getting creative with an awkward corner of the home or converting a spare bedroom into a dedicated home office is sure to be a drawcard.

Upgrade kitchen and bathrooms

Speaking of specific areas to focus on, kitchens and bathrooms continue to be a strong selling point when it comes to home. We might even be bold enough to say that these spaces are even more important now that we’re spending so much time at home.

The key here is to keep the budget in check. While kitchens and bathrooms can add the most value to a home, they can also be easy to overcapitalise on. We suggest opening up any boxed in kitchens and upgrading benches and cabinetry. Avoid moving plumbing around to keep costs down in both the kitchen and bathrooms.