5 DIY jobs that can add to your selling price

We all want to get as much return on our investment in our home as possible. What’s the best way to maximise your profits? Try some of these small DIY projects.

Painting

A fresh coat of paint adds sparkle to a home. When choosing paint colours, stick with those that will appeal to the greatest range of buyers. Choose lighter colours for smaller rooms to make them appear larger and don’t leave any room out. If one room looks freshly painted, the old paint in an adjoining room will look even older.

Floors

A fresh coat of paint on your walls is going to backfire if it makes your floors look even dingier. Clean your carpets, refresh your hardwood floors and clean and polish your vinyl tiles. Don’t replace them, though, unless it’s absolutely necessary. Replacing flooring is a costly expense that isn’t likely to add greater value to your home.

Minor repairs

Check all your windows and doors. You might find you’ve been putting up with a sticking window or door for so long that you don’t notice it any more. Potential buyers will, though.

The same applies to dripping faucets and other minor annoyances you’ve been putting off repairing. Make those minor repairs and buyers won’t be deducting dollars from the value of your house.

Landscaping

The garden is the first thing potential buyers notice when they enter your property, and you want to make a good first impression. Keep your front lawn mowed and your garden weed-free. If you need to, buy some cheerful plants to fill in your garden.

The backyard

The backyard is more important to home buyers today than it used to be. You may not have thousands to spend on a pool or enclosed patio, but you do want viewers to see your yard’s potential. Paint your fence and if there’s an eyesore on the other side of the yard, hide it by installing a privacy screen or vertical garden. Inexpensive cosmetic improvements like plantscaping with potted plants make a deck or patio more cheerful and appealing. Plus when you move, you can take the pot plants with you to your new home.

Avoid expensive renovations unless they are absolutely necessary, and don’t spend more than you need to on materials. For example, if your concrete driveway drags down the appearance of your property, have it repaired and painted, resurfaced, or cover it with pebble stones instead of replacing.

Home buyers want to see a tidy, well-maintained home that tells them the previous owners took pride in their property. Many buyers often have their own plans for renovating, so keep it simple. For more tips, read How to get your property ready for sale.