Have You Made Home Improvements Over The Past Year?

While there have been many moves in the housing market over the past year, many households have also stayed put where they are. If you are looking to enjoy a larger or more stylish home, but don’t wish to move, there is a lot to be said for making home improvements.

Also, if you wish to move in the future, making changes now can help. You can make your home more appealing to prospective buyers, and you can improve the value of your property. If this is something you are considering, please get in touch with Intercounty, and we will be happy to help.

A study by Shawbrook Bank, a company who specialises in home improvement loans, provides the leading home improvement changes which could add more than 15% value to a home.

Adding an annex – £15,000 or 5% of the average house price

A recent study saw homebuyers list adding an annexe to property added the most value, coming it around £14,385. This is around 5% of the average UK house price, but of course, the more space you create, the more impact you can have.

Converting loft space - £13,000 or 5% of the average house price

It is believed that converting loft space amounts to £12,951, which again, is around 5% of the average price of property in the UK. However, a study by the Nationwide Building Society found that it is possible to add over 20% of value to a home by converting this space to a double bedroom with bathroom.

Create a bigger kitchen - £11,500 or 4% of the average house price

If you create a more spacious kitchen, you could boost the value of your home by £11,514 but simply renovating your kitchen could lead to an additional £10,649 in value.

The same study also listed some home improvement changes that aren’t great for adding value to your home, including:

• Garden accessories

• Converting property into an open plan living area

• Renovating a garage space

Sally Conway, Head of Consumer Communications concluded: “Whatever your budget, making small or large improvements to your home can have a significant impact on the value of your property. Whether you’re looking to add appeal for potential buyers, or you want to give your home an upgrade to enjoy yourself, investing in your home could be one of the best decisions you make. We’ve seen a rise in demand for home improvement loans in the last month, with Brits clearly tiring of spending so much time at home and many eager to take on a new challenge. From kitchen revamps to full-on extensions, now could be the perfect time to give your home a facelift, ready to welcome friends and family back as soon as restrictions lift.”

For property enquiries in Sawbridgeworth, please feel free to call us on 01279 600333 or why not email us at sawbridgeworth@intercounty.co.uk. With considerable experience in the local market, and free valuation services, we look forward to helping you move.