Summer projects to enhance your home and add value

The sun is out, the weather is warm and the days are long, making it the perfect time to get outside and get stuck into the home improvement projects that you’ve been putting off all winter.

And not only will doing so increase the overall value of your home and your family’s enjoyment, but small upgrades and repairs here and there can also save you a lot of money down the line.
It’s often very tempting lo let the small issues slide, but it could be costly in the long-term because, when you do decide to sell, the cost of making all the necessary repairs and upgrades could be quite a shock.

Many people balk at the idea of DIY and find the prospect more than a little daunting but not all projects are equal and novices will be happy to know that many don’t demand extensive time or money to complete.

There are numerous ways in which to improve your property without hiring professionals or doing major construction – and your projects don’t have to be grand or expensive to make a strong impact.
So, whether you want to refresh your home for your own enjoyment or are getting it ready to sell, the following upgrades will breathe new life into your home whilst adding value:

It was also this digital capability which saved the industry from grinding to a halt during the pandemic as not only were buyers able to browse properties online, they could also view individual homes through virtual tours as personal on-site viewings were impossible for over a year.

The question many people have since been asking is whether or not show houses are still relevant to the sale of properties and whether sellers should bother going to the trouble of sprucing, staging and tidying and then vacating for a day whilst strangers traipse through their homes.
And most agents would agree that the answer to that is a resounding YES.

By necessity, virtual tours were honed during lockdown to enable the industry to operate during the pandemic and they were well-received as an alternative for viewing properties during the lockdown period.

But, although these will continue to be a useful tool, it will be as an add-on to existing protocol because the fact remains that the majority of home buyers still rely on the opportunity to physically visit a house to get a ‘feel’ the home before they commit to buying.

Advantages for sellers

Ultimately, show houses are the best way to limit the inconvenience of viewing for sellers as it can be stressful and challenging to juggle work and family with having to constantly keep the house pristine for viewers potential buyers on a daily basis.

Established agencies will have an extensive database of approved buyers who will all be notified of upcoming show days, so open houses can be a very efficient means to showcase and sell property.

And by attracting these preferred buyers to their properties, a strong platform is created from where the agent can equate a fair field of competitiveness amongst interested buyers and at the same time present sellers with serious, qualified potential purchasers.

On the rise

Most agents are reporting that since lockdown restrictions ended, show house attendance has steadily increased, albeit slowly at first, however, as people got used to living more normally again, show houses attendance grew and most are very well attended these days.

Sellers play a crucial role

Although the arranging, managing and hosting of show houses is the agent’s responsibility, sellers also play an important role in ensuring the show day’s success:

Prep your home: Tidy thoroughly and declutter countertops and other surface areas. Where possible, stage your best areas by setting a dining table with a sea view, buying new scatter cushions for the couch or even just a vase of fresh flowers in the entrance way as a welcoming touch. 

De-personalise: This may seem a bit over the top but it’s actually very important because the more personal items there are, the less potential buyers can imagine themselves living there. Pack away photographs and personal clutter and keep the fridge clear of kid’s drawings.

Highlight storage space: Having enough storage space is a priority for most buyers and over-stuffed cupboards will give the impression that there is insufficient storage in your home. Buyers will inevitably check things like cupboard door hinges and will want to ascertain how much storage space there is, so make sure all your wardrobes and cabinets are clean and tidy.

If possible, remove half the contents in your closets then neatly organise what’s left and make sure kitchen units are orderly as this will give the illusion of ample space.

Clear the garage: It may be the perfect place to hide the clutter from the house but you can be sure that buyers will want to view this space so rather take the opportunity to clear it now to make a better impression and save yourself the hassle when you move.

Vacate on the day: Viewing properties when the owner is around can make buyers feel very uncomfortable and they are also less likely to ask questions or voice opinions for fear of offending. So, although it may be true that no one knows your house better than you, there is much better chance of the show day being a success if you aren’t home.

Conceal the pets: Although a warm doggy welcome will make some buyers feel right at home, not everyone is pet lover and being welcomed by wet licks or stumbling over a smelly litter box could put off a keen buyer. If possible, take them with you whilst people are viewing – or spoil the dogs and take them for a nice long walk.

At the end of the day, the same reasons that used to drive good attendance to show houses prior to the pandemic still apply - good presentation, realistic pricing and good position.

And these, along with our extensive database, result in between up to 65% of our sales being as a direct result of a well-conducted show house in many areas.