How to Add Value to Your Home

Whether you are looking to rent or sell a property you own, home improvements can impact what price your property can achieve when it goes to market. So, whether you’re hoping to add value to a flat or house, here we’ve highlighted some key insights to help you.

Renovating your property can be done to an extent through DIY or for more extensive and detailed work, via a contractor. Such is the value and merit of improving a property's value, that many people take out . In fact, one of the most popular reasons for taking out payday loans in the first place is in order to help finance the works.

We’ve got a guide on short term loans and their advantages if this sounds like something you’re interested in.

What makes property value increase?

Some factors will be out of your control when it comes to the price that your property is valued at. Some factors that will increase your property value include:

• Location

• Age

• Zoning

• Interest rates

• Crime rates

• Economic factors like recession

• Local school performance

• Market demand

• Street appeal

However, there are some changes you can make that can also affect how much your property is valued for.

What adds value to a house?

There are many ways in which you can add value to a flat or house. These include:

• Loft conversions and extensions

• Converting the property into multiple occupancies

• Fitting a new roof

• Installing a new conservatory

• Fitting double glazing

• Redecorating the property

• Increasing the ‘curb appeal’ of the property

• Updated bathrooms

• Available parking
  
  

Improving your property in many ways could see you increase its value by as much as 25%, sometimes even more. Additionally, the return on investment when undertaking such renovations and improvements can be very big indeed… So, if you’re wondering how to increase your house value in the UK and are looking for tangible ways you can do so, let’s dive into it.

Houses of multiple occupancy

Splitting a larger house into flats is increasingly popular, with big demands on housing and the increased need of people to find somewhere to live in urban areas. Before undertaking a property conversion, turning a large house in to a House of Multiple Occupancy (HMO), look around the local area to find out what type of buyers and renters are in the market.

You may find that there is little demand for such accommodation or that there is huge demand, making this one of the easiest decisions for your property’s development. By researching the local market, you may well be able to receive a much larger sum for two flats rented out than one house. Alternatively, it may be the case that your house retains, perhaps even increases its value in its current form.

For example, in an area, it may be the case that a large house fetches in the region of £1,200 per month in rental yield. However, split into 3 apartments, likely self-contained studios or similar, each unit may be able to fetch £600 each, providing a total income of £1,800 per month: 50% more than a single house. Crucial to converting a property into an HMO, however, is the requirement that you acquire the necessary Planning Permission from your Local Authority.

Failure to get such permission may land you in court and could mean you end up facing legal action and hefty fines in addition to having to pay for works to be rectified, even reversed. Should you receive the relevant permissions, you will need to ensure you are aware of your obligations as a landlord. This will include Fire Safety, Gas Safety, Energy Performance and other important obligations.

Improving the property exterior

Adding value to your home can also be done through improving its exterior. For instance, you can maximise garden, exterior and kerb appeal. Ultimately, if a potential buyer likes what they see before they even enter the property (when they view it ‘from the kerb’), they will form an initially positive and friendly opinion towards the property as well as the prospect of living there. There are many ways in which you can add kerb appeal to a property:

• Weed the front garden

• Add an endearing garden sculpture

• Plant a fruit tree

• Clean the path and driveway

• Repainting the front door
  
  

Making often cheap and easy aesthetic renovations may seem insignificant but can in practice, make all the difference to buyers. Simple things in the home often impact a buyer’s perception of quality; Replacing an old doorknob may cost £40 but could greatly impact the perceived condition of the home. You may well find that a small flexible loan from a direct lender is all you need to pay for a few small updates and improvements to the property, which could go a very long way in persuading a buyer to make the purchase.

Pave a lawn for a parking spot in urban and suburban areas. Lawns and gardens are useful and attractive, but a parking spot will often allow you a larger sum in urban and suburban areas where parking is sparse and highly sought after. In the countryside where parking is abundant, it may be preferable to keep the lawn or garden space to blend in and remain green.

Does double glazing increase a property’s value?

Double glazing makes a huge difference to various aspects of a property. This includes increasing energy efficiency, lowering heating costs, keeping more noise out of the property, and increasing property security. By increasing the energy efficiency of a property through double glazing, the new owners will likely save money on heating bills, making the property a better prospect for them. Furthermore, the property’s Energy Performance Rating will be better with a more desirable Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).

Reducing noise from outside, particularly in urban and built-up areas can make a huge difference to the comfort of the inhabitants and so, as with increased energy efficiency makes the property more desirable.

Also, with burglaries always a concern to those living in and around built-up areas, towns and cities, the double locking functions of double glazing makes these windows more secure than old-fashioned alternatives. Better security may mean lower contents insurance premiums and greater peace of mind for inhabitants that they and their possessions are safer.

Properly heating your property

Still pondering over how to increase property value? Well, central heating can massively help! By adding a central heating system, your property value will increase by several thousand pounds. Everyone will need the heating at one time or another and whilst most properties in the UK do have central heating systems, many do not have systems that work as well as they could.

This could be due to the central heating system being old, the radiators needing replacing or even due to wear and tear. However, by investing in an improved central heating system, those coming to see your property will be more likely to part with that bit more money, in the knowledge that the central heating and perhaps even the boiler are new and in very good shape. This means they are unlikely to have to spend on then for quite some time.

Keep things clean

Keeping your property clean is likely to be something you already do. However, by keeping the property spotlessly clean, you will endear it to potential buyers and will be less likely to put them off. Consider hiring a cleaner before estate agent viewings. This will help you make your home look clean and welcoming for potential buyers or tenants. Perhaps light a mild scented candle to eliminate odours and create warmth in the home.

Making your home a blank slate for potential buyers is crucial. By having many personal touches in the property, it is likely to make potential buyers feel quite detached as they will find it harder to envision themselves living there. It is therefore important that buyers are truly able to imagine themselves living in the home. Put away family albums and personal objects where you can, so they can more easily imagine themselves in what is currently your home.

Loft conversions and extensions

Loft conversions and loft extensions are some of the most widely accepted ways in which you can improve the value of a property. They increase the amount of space the property has to offer and can provide several extra rooms to a property. It may be the case that with the help of a payday loan online or similar, you can get that extension or conversion your property is crying out for and this may be something worth considering.

You may need to apply for Planning Permision before undertaking a loft conversion

Furthermore, a loft conversion means that the property in question will make use of otherwise potentially empty space in an attic. There are many considerations though when looking to undertake such a project:

• Planning Permission – Although loft conversions and even extensions often fall into the realms of Permitted Developments, in some cases, such as those concerning listed buildings, you may be required to obtain specific permissions, which will provide guidelines and a framework within which you may or may not carry out the desired works

• Party Wall Agreements – If your property is terraced or semi-detached, you may need a Party Wall Agreement with adjoining properties. This will involve commissioning surveyors and liaising with the neighbours

• Type of Loft – Lofts can greatly vary with regards to their precise nature and the type of conversion or extension you undertake, with some costing more than others and some providing more space than others. Types of lofts available include mansard loft conversions, dormers, Victorian extensions and various other types to consider

Are there home improvements that do not add value in the UK?

While you might get swept up in the renovation process when trying to add value to your home, there are things that won’t add a considerable amount of value.

For instance, how much value does an extra bedroom add? and how much value does a new bathroom add? Well, while adding an extra bathroom may well make your house more sellable and add value, if you simply renovate an existing one, you might actually lose out.

Renovating a bathroom can be a costly task and won’t add enough value to make up your money. Instead, how about a simple lick of paint rather than a full-scale renovation?

Hopefully you now know what makes property values increase! For more insights, head over to the Moneyboat blog! There you’ll find articles on simple saving tips, as well as ways to save money when moving house!