Improve outside appearance, this increases the overall value of your home

Many simple things can improve the value of your property. First, you need to decide if you are doing this to resell, if this is the case I have a few suggestions. These are easy things to do without involving major expenses.

 Front view of the house

The garden is the first thing that a buyer will see. If this is full of weeds and unkept the potential buyer may drive away. First impressions count. Make sure it promotes value and not detracts from the appearance.

The developer may see it as a bargain buy.  Mow the lawn and resell at a profit.

You need to stand outside and look at your house from a prospective buyer's point of view. Look at your home with a critical eye. Starting with the garden, where could you improve the aesthetic look. Could the gardens need revamping? Plant lots of flowering plants, it attracts more interest and appeal. Give the shrubs a general tidy and prune any overgrown ones.

Is the lawn green or are there dead patches. Check with your local gardening centre on correct fertilizer to use to green it up. If there are dead patches, you may have lawn beetle, if so, sprinkle lots of washing powder across it then water it in, this will soon bring the beetles to the top of the lawn.

Inside the house

Take a notepad and write down every fault that you see, as if you were going to buy it. Look at the paintwork. Could you wash the walls to improve the appearance, or do they need repainting. If you decide to repaint inside choose neutral tones, you may like bright colors where others object to them. Make sure the stove and oven is clean, repaint kitchen cupboards if required, and replace handles to cupboards. What are the floor coverings like? Do the carpets need cleaning?

De-clutter your home

By removing excess clutter on top of bench tops, cupboards and shelving it will give the impression of a larger room. Remove excess furniture, ask neighbors to store it if possible until the sale goes through.

Make sure the home is clean. Check the toilet, bath, shower, and sink, for mould or body fat on tiles or shower curtain.

The back yard

Poison any weeds growing between the pavers, patio, or footpaths. Repair fences and clean up any rubbish lying around. If you are selling in the winter months, check the gutters and downpipes, so no water will overflow into the house.

This is easy and will not cost a fortune

You could place this in either your front or back garden.

Directions: Create a simple pond in your garden. Mark out an area with a piece of string on the ground to see how big you want the pond to be. Dig a hole about 30cm deep, when dug to your measurements; line this hole with a sheet of black plastic. Now place rocks right around the edges to hold it in place. Fill with water. You can add another rock feature in the centre, although you must wash rocks first. Instead, you may choose to place a clean washed clay pot in the center. Place plant inside and add washed rocks to keep it in place. Now add some fish.

If you do these simple things, then you will definitely increase the value of your home.

If you do intend to sell, if at home while prospective buyers are coming through, put a batch of scones in the oven or cook a loaf of bread. The lovely smell of home cooked scones will sell it for you.