Selling Your Home – Tips

November 29, 2019 Leave a Comment

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There are many reasons why you may have decided to put your property on the market. Perhaps you’re adding to the family and you need somewhere bigger? Maybe you are ready for a new adventure and are moving overseas? Or, have you found a better house a few blocks away? No matter the reason, you need to make sure you present your property in the greatest light. Find out how you can increase your chances of a quick and successful sale. 

 

A Warm Welcome

 

The first thing you need to do is make sure the entrance to your home is a welcoming one. A lot of people underestimate the importance of having a stylish front door and a clean porch. This is the entryway to your home. It sets the tone for the rest of the property. This is your opportunity to impress and get your viewers excited about the rest of the house, so don’t waste it. 

 

Sweet Smells

 

A lot of people do not realize that their house smells because they are so used to it. This is especially the case for those who have pets. Get someone you trust to give you an honest opinion regarding what they can smell when they walk into your home. After all, last night’s takeaway is not going to encourage a quick sale, is it? Instead, you need to add a pleasant but subtle smell to your home, which you can easily do via scented candles or a diffuser. 

 

Present The Lifestyle

 

When you are selling a property, you are not just selling the walls and floors. You are selling a lifestyle and a neighborhood. It is important to remember this. This is why professional home stagers recommend getting rid of all personal photographs. Items like this act as a barrier, making it difficult for property viewers to imagine themselves living in your home. It is all about presenting your house in a manner that makes it possible for others to imagine the amazing life they could have there. If the viewers aren’t familiar with the area, why not provide them with some helpful leaflets and pamphlets regarding the schools and such like in the area? 

 

No Secrets

 

The final piece of the puzzle is to be honest. Don’t assume you can cover up water damage with paint or that a roof problem will be overlooked because the buyer isn’t going to climb up there! If you know you have an issue with your roof, it is better to pay for a roofing company to rectify this before you put your property on the market. The same goes if your siding is damaged or there are any other issues. Otherwise, when the buyer gets a professional survey carried out, the issue will be flagged and you will end up with egg on your face. This could cost you the sale.

 

Selling a property is a big undertaking. By being truthful, making your home welcoming, and presenting it in a manner that makes it easy for people to envision living there, you should be able to secure a sale sooner rather than later.

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The Pros And Cons Of Open Plan Living

August 18, 2017 Leave a Comment

If you have recently purchased a new home or if you’ve not renovated your own dwelling for a little while, the lure of open plan living can be overwhelming. When you glance at your humble abode, you see numerous rooms downstairs, blocked off by walls, compartmentalized and blocking out the natural light that you crave. Switch on the TV, and home makeover shows reel off renovation after renovation singing the praises of open plan living, the natural light it allows, the space it creates and the lifestyle it affords. Open plan living looks amazing on the TV, but what about real life? Is it all it’s cracked up to be? Take a look at the pros and cons of open plan living and decide if you want to head down the open plan road when you come to renovate your home.

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Pros

 

The natural light that you will see streaming into your new open plan living space can make any renovation seem worthwhile. With windows creating multiple aspects, you’ll also be allowing the outside in. Vistas become more accessible from any position downstairs through multiple viewpoints.

 

The atmosphere within your house will naturally shift from fragmented to all inclusive. Your kids won’t have a choice but to be in the same vicinity as you as they watch TV and you cook up your latest culinary delight. The impetus to enjoy more quality time together as a family can make open plan living a worthwhile venture.

 

Although the square footage of your floor plan won’t have altered, it will feel like you have created more space. This illusion can make the resale value of your home increase as open plan living is the most favorable lifestyle choice today. Homeowners enjoy inviting friends around for a dinner party or a gathering and love having a large flowing space that is flexible to entertain in.

 

The actual renovation itself will be a liberating experience. There is no better way to release your frustrations and anger than by grabbing a sledgehammer and knocking down a wall or two. If money is tight, look into using a homeowner loans company to fund your renovation plans. You can utilize their online affordability calculators and borrow well within your means. Although the cost of converting to open plan living may seem hefty, you could see a healthy increase in the value of your home when you come to sell it. It’s always best to think of your renovation as an investment.

Image Source – Holland And Green Architecture

 

Cons

 

The sheer scale of creating a single open plan living space from three or four distinct rooms can seem overwhelming. The labor costs can be steep, the dust and mess created will last for a few weeks and the project can seem like an uphill task. Open plan living is a dramatic shift in lifestyle, so if you aren’t sure, it pays to hold off before embarking on any renovations. It’s easy to knock walls down but a lot harder and more expensive to put them back up.

 

Open plan living will inevitably see a merging of your kitchen, dining room and living area. This means all those cooking smells from your fragrant Thai curry will linger when you settle on the couch to watch a movie three hours later. This can be a pet peeve of many so think about the practicalities of open plan living before you allow yourself to be seduced by the stylish facade of a home makeover show.

 

While open plan living and quality family time sound great in theory, there will be a lot less space downstairs to find a moment of privacy, and you may find your kids spending more time upstairs holed up in their bedrooms. You may want to consider whether you actually need to renovate or whether you are happy with the configuration of your home the way it is. Just because something is on trend doesn’t mean you have to succumb to it if you are more inclined to enjoy the traditional home layout.

 

Home renovations are expensive and dramatic. By their very nature renovations allow you to refresh your living environment and can afford you a new lifestyle. However, open plan living is not the only renovation available to you. If you wish to create a new look for your home, a simple and cheaper redecoration, new kitchen or even an extension may be the answer. Only once you’ve assessed the pros and cons of open plan living, can you decide if it is right for you.

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