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| Value Tips |
Find out how to maximise the selling price of your home.
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Our House meets four experts who show you how to get the most value out of your home, when selling.
Fixing Small Things Can Mean A Lot-Mark Langdon, Business Development Manager at the Master Builders Association
1
Do a walk through inspection of the home (internal and external) and make a list of all the items that require fixing. Attend to them.
2
Alternatively, obtain an inspection by an accredited building consultant-the M.B.A. in each State capital has a list of approved consultants. Having a professional building inspection is a display of the owners' confidence in the property they intend to sell.
3
Fill and repair all minor defects, such as cracks, holes, marks in walls and ceilings. Major cracks can be caused by a structural fault, which should be investigated and repaired.
4
Use suitable filler when repairing cracks. Ensure the repaired area is completely dry before it is painted to lessen the chance of the crack recurring.
5
Replace broken or torn fly screens and get rid of any rubbish around the house. Make the home look appealing to the prospective buyer.
6
Change the washers on leaking taps.
7
Replace blown light bulbs.
8
If the pipes "hammer" when you turn on the taps, get them fixed. A device called a hammer arrester, available from hardware stores, will stop this problem, which is an annoyance rather than an indicator of a structural defect.
9
Oil squeaking gates, mow your lawns and weed your gardens.
10
Make sure all doors and windows open freely and easily.
11
Fix wobbly door handles and crooked or badly hung letterboxes, and do those numerous chores and fix-up jobs you've been meaning to get around to.
It's Quite Easy Being Green-Kathy Fook, Co-ordinator of the Community Information Project on Sustainable Energy, Total Environment Centre
1
Prospective buyers like to think they'll be saving money. Invest in an energy-efficient shower head. By changing a conventional 20 litres per minute shower head to an efficient AAA rated 9 litre per minute one, the average household will save at least $20 in water costs and $38 in heating costs each year.
2
Gaps under and around doors and windows allow heat to escape and cold air in. Repair any faulty or draughty doors and windows. Install draught stoppers, which further save on heating costs.
3
Ceiling insulation slashes the energy required to heat a home by reducing heat loss through the ceiling by up to 75%. Even installing insulation over just the living areas will reduce heating bills substantially.
4
Replacing 3 ordinary 60w bulbs with more efficient 11w compact fluorescent lights will produce the same amount of light, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save up to $30 each year on electricity bills.
5
Aerators on taps in kitchen sinks and hand basins reduce water usage by approximately 40%, another saving on the potential buyer's water rates.
6
Dual flush toilets save water by allowing you to regulate the flow of water into the bowl to half or full flush, depending on the amount of water you require. Single flush toilets can be converted to dual-flush.
7
A solar hot water heater will drastically reduce electricity or gas costs and can save between one and two tonnes of "greenhouse" gas emissions every year (the average home produces 18 tonnes annually). Residents of council areas that have Energy Smart Homes Policy (about 50 councils in NSW) are eligible for a $500 rebate on their solar hot water heater.
8
Skylights can save electricity costs by reducing the need for artificial lighting.
9
Install grey water diverters, to channel water from the washing machine to the garden and further reduce water consumption. Installing some of the simple energy saving devices will cost you around $200 but can save as much as $150 annually. Draw prospective buyers' attention to the money-saving features you've installed.
Feel Secure In Your Investment-Alex Murray, NRMA Home Security Manager
1
Install a visible burglar deterrent, such as an alarm with a flashing blue light.
2
Put keyed locks on all the windows, and keep your home entrance free of trees and shrubs.
3
Install double-key dead-locks on all exterior doors.
4
Unless you like living behind bars, an alarm is often preferable to metal grilles over the doors and windows. It can also be cheaper to install. NRMA recommends back-to-base alarms because they guarantee action will be taken if the alarm is triggered. They also entitle the home-owner to a 15% discount on NRMA contents insurance.
5
Sensor lights are good for scaring off potential intruders and are handy for owners and visitors when they are coming and going at night.
6
If the property backs on to a rear laneway or bushland, make sure you've got good fencing to deter intruders and that branches from easy-to-climb trees are trimmed back.
7
Don't install fences that obscure your house from the street. You don't want to give burglars the opportunity of breaking in without a chance of being spotted.
8
Install spy holes or video security equipment, so you know who's on the other side of the front door before you open it. With these security measures in place, you are 10 times less likely to become a break-in victim. Point out your security improvements to prospective buyers when you sell.
Clutter Busting-Lotte Cruise, Home Stylist
1
Think of a "cocktail party". Arrange the furniture so 10-15 people can comfortably circulate during inspections. Make sure furniture is not an obstacle-you want people to move freely from one area to the next, not just across the main traffic routes. Position your furniture, if appropriate, against walls to give a greater impression of space.
2
Make sure the kitchen is spotless. People want to imagine that they are cooking there. Use neutral colours to decorate your home, adding fresh flowers for a clean, homely touch.
3
Cream or light-coloured sofas look better, photograph better (for real-estate ads) and lighten up the living space.
4
If a second bedroom can fit a double bed and two side-tables, put them in, to increase the perception of space. Keep other furnishings to a minimum, so that the room doesn't appear cramped.
5
Clean all the windows inside and out to maximise views and natural light entering rooms. Open all curtains and blinds.
6
Oil burners make the rooms smell good (get rid of any "doggy" smells), and the candle light is also flattering.
7
Having lights on during the day only draws attention to dark rooms. Hang mirrors to reflect any available daylight.
8
Consider engaging a professional home stylist. Expect to pay 1% of the anticipated selling price (i.e. $5000 for a $500,000 home). It could add 10% to the selling price.
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More Info
Further information on improving the value of your home can be found in the special lift-out booklet "100 Ways To Make Your Home Worth More" in the September issue of the Our House magazine.
Energy efficient light globes were supplied by Philips Lighting.
For stockists, Ph: 13 1401.
The Master Builders Association can recommend a qualified building inspector and offer some hints to maintain your home. For more information call their freecall number, 1800-451-393.
For more information on energy-saving options for the home contact the Total Environment Centre, Ph: 9299 0189 Fax: 9299 4411.
Email: cipse@ozemail.com.au
Lotte Cruise is a home stylist. To make an appointment contact her,
Mob: 0411571 723.
For more information on security options contact,
NRMA Home Security, Ph: 13 25 53.
Or visit their web site:
http://www.nrma.com.au
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Disclaimer
All Fact Sheets and other material on the Our House website are provided as a general information service only and should not be relied upon as a substitute for the advice of a properly qualified tradesman. Neither ninemsn nor its licensors (including the Nine Network) assume or accept any responsibility for, and will not be liable for the accuracy or appropriate application of any information whatsoever in any Fact Sheet or other material on the Our House web site. Your use of the Our House web site is governed by this disclaimer and the ninemsn's Terms of Use.
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