Renovating your property for sale

their money wisely.

The idea is to put in the least amount of money to achieve the best outcome possible.
Drastic and costly renovations will not necessarily result in your property being scooped off the market.
What is important to realise is that different buyers have different tastes and it is sometimes prudent to leave the major renovations to the buyers. Get the basics right and your property will be off the market in no time.
What are the basic renovations then? We will start with the interior of the property.
The floors just have to be right. You will be surprised at the effect that floors can have on the psych of a potential buyer.
If the floors are parquet or timber, they have to be refinished. If carpeted then the carpets have to be clean.
The walls within have to be repainted if there are any marks on them. However, if general cleaning can achieve the same results then it is cheaper to just wash the walls.
If the windows are old and showing their age then it’s best to replace them. However, if they are still in good condition then a general cleaning and painting of window panes is sufficient to achieve same result.
Although most buyers are concerned about the state of the kitchen and bathrooms, these areas should be renovated if they really need a revamp.
Otherwise a general change of maybe the flushing system if old and fixing of cabinets that are not in good shape is cheaper and allows the new buyer to make their own renovations that suit their taste.
Generally, in terms of these areas people are mostly concerned about their cleanliness and size.
It also adds impetus to the sale if there is no need for an immediate redoing of these areas considering that the buyer would have just paid a sizeable amount for the property.
An intact roof is always a good selling point. If the property has suffered from geyser leaks in the past that have stained the ceilings and have since been repaired, either painting or replacing the ceiling in the room with the affected ceiling is best than always having to explain the reasons why the ceiling is stained or deformed.
This at the same time creates doubts and negotiation ammunition in the mind of the potential buyer.
When one has a house to sell and the inside is just right, one wants the outside to reflect that too.
What is important is to create the “gate or entrance appeal”. When the potential buyer drives up to the house and the buyer is still by the gate, the property must appeal to them as much as possible to create expectancy.
If the house is in desperate need of a paint job then painting the whole house cannot be avoided. Hwever, if not, one can do other things that take away attention from the paint work of the property.
If there are many trees at the property make sure, the roof and gutters are free from leaves and other blockages.
A painted roof is always a luring factor, but a clean roof is a charm. If there are exterior security features on the property like burglar bars, make sure they are fixated securely to the house and not just hanging loose. If they are rusty then a new coat of paint is a plus.
Keep the lawn mowed and neatly edged. A nicely mowed lawn does wonders for gate appeal.
Therefore, while the property is on the market, it is a benefit if one mows a little more frequently although this might depend on the season.
If the lawn is in bad shape from years of neglect, then a month before deciding to put the property on the market, one might have to lay down fresh sod in the hope that the grass will have grown by the time the property is on the market.
A couple of garden chairs or benches well positioned to allow the potential buyer a feel of the property is an advantage.
Bright coloured flowers are good to the eye and make people feel relaxed with the property.
Trimmed bushes and trees reflect the current owners care for the property. Remember that people will see the outside of your house before they see the inside.
If the home’s exterior makes a bad first impression on potential buyers, they will carry that negativity inside the house with them.
l Vengai Madzima is a property consultant and analyst with Wisdom Properties. He can be contacted on 0772 468093 email: [email protected]