Many factors contribute to average UK house prices, and some of them are within homeowners’ control. Anyone who has ever viewed property as a potential buyer will know that first impressions mean an awful lot. Arriving outside the property for the first time is often pivotal in a buyer’s selection process. If your home requires decoration, repair and replacement fixtures, you could be creating a poor first impression, and that could significantly reduce the potential sale value of your property.
Wear and tear
A lot of homeowners tend to give the interior of their property priority over the exterior. Over several years, this can lead to a gradual deterioration in the overall look of your house. Maintaining the exterior of a property is often regarded as uninspiring and unnecessary. Still, a little tender loving care throughout the years can reap dividends when selling the property. As well as the aesthetic benefits of a well-maintained exterior, regular maintenance will protect the structural integrity of your building, and that is a determining factor of UK house prices.
Regular care of your roof can prevent nasty surprises.
One of the most important structural jobs anyone can undertake in their home is repairing or replacing a roof. Unfortunately, many roof problems are apparent at first glance, which can put buyers off before entering your property. However, regular inspections and a programme of preventative maintenance can keep your roof in a good state of repair, as well as allow you to identify problems before they become costly to repair jobs.
Don’t overlook the quality of drains, brickwork. Maintain gutters quickly and cheaply by checking regularly. However, allowing them to deteriorate will not only make replacing them more expensive, but it will also probably affect any future house valuation. On the other hand, something as simple as regularly clearing gutters of leaves can protect house values up and down the country, as gutters protect the very fabric of your home from the damage caused by water.
While fitting windows and doors yourself might seem like a good way of saving some money, a substandard job can significantly affect a future property valuation. Ill-fitting windows and doors are incredibly costly to put right, and they will often lead to other problems. Investing in a professional and safe job now can lead to quicker and more profitable house sales in the future.
In most cases, increasing the demand for homes has a direct effect on sold house prices. The more people fall in love with a house, the better chance that a bidding war will ensue. Buying a home is often an emotional experience, so creating the most idyllic package possible will improve your chances of securing a sale. A cheap and relatively simple way of doing this is to tidy up your home’s gardens. A nicely mowed lawn, a painted fence and a splash of colour in the flower beds cost very little, yet they can go a long way to inspiring buyers to make bids.
Regardless of how well presented your home’s interior is, if the exterior and the structure aren’t taken care of, you could find that a buyer’s house valuation gives you a nasty shock. Instead of waiting for major problems to occur, protect house prices, a schedule of preventative maintenance could save you money on repairs in the long term – as well as preserving the sale value of your home.
