In this day and age, it's all about how to add value to your home. Here's 10 easy DIY projects that will do just that, within budget.
If you have a spare room in the house that's just too small to be a bedroom, or a corner nook that's not serving much of a purpose, then convert it into a study workspace, appealing to any potential buyers, including families - teenagers can have a quiet study space or parents can have a home office.
Often your house is functional and structurally very sound, but it looks that little bit too weathered. Consider adding value by paying attention to the finer details: a lick of new paint inside and out does wonders to bring a house to new-life (stick to neutral, light and fresh colours), re-pave the driveway, trim your trees and bushes and paint your window frames.
Polished and modern landscaping can be an essential element in the attraction of a homebuyer. To keep an update under budget, purchase modern plants and oversized urns to dot around the garden. If your pavers are old, buy a new look in bulk and pave the area yourself. A creative mix of landscaping materials will provide variety to the eye and texture to your outdoor home.
Any kitchen is the heart of the home, and it's the one room that is the biggest influence on sell price. Whilst a brand new kitchen fit out is expensive, there are plenty of great DIY kitchen renovation packages available, or do some simple things like replace the cupboard doors, handles or tiles.
Similar to the kitchen, renovating your bathroom is one of the most profitable home improvements. Refurbishments can be as easy as replacing your toilet, vanity, basin, floor or wall tiles. On the cheaper side, look at replacing your towel racks, faucets and cabinet doors.
One of the major attractions of selling a home is the outdoor entertaining area it offers - Australian's have a love of the great outdoors lifestyle. If you don't have one already (that you can spruce up), pave an area for this kind of entertaining space, build an awning, add some outdoor furniture, some plants, a BBQ, and you're good to go.
Sometimes, simply removing or knocking down elements of your home can add value. Think about a 1960's-esque house with multiple living areas and rooms. These days, our lifestyles and tastes match a more relaxed open floor plan, so knock down a few walls or remove that one feature that reminds you of years gone by and open that house up.
If you don't have the money for an additional bathroom, think about the idea of installing an outdoor shower, especially if you live near the beach, have a backyard swimming pool or even want an easy way to wash the dog! Just ensure you have a proper drainage.
The floor is one of the first things a potential buyer will see when they walk in your door is the flooring. Keep any updates neutral, contemporary, clean and stylish. Depending on what you want to spend, there are a range of options - wooden floor boards, floating click-in floorboards, bamboo flooring and a range of tiles, too.
One of the top priorities of a home-buyer these days is adequate storage room. Think about unique ways that you can utilize the space of your home - in built wall units, fold out drawers, roof storage and garages all contribute to this extra, valuable space. There are plenty of hardware stores that provide a range of storage options.