18 THE MAITLAND MERCURY � Friday, May 24, 2013 www.maitlandmercury.com.au

Little tips make big impactMaking your place stand out from the crowd does not have to cost a lot of money.

Adding extra zeros to your sale pricedoesn’t have to involve adding anextra storey to your house.

Professional renovator Cherie Barbersays there are ways to instantly increasethe value of your property - with noarchitects required.

INCREASE KERB APPEALIf you’re selling or renting a property, theinitial impression will be a lasting one.

Adding value to your property can beeasily achieved by not really addinganything at all.

In fact, taking away outdated or messyfeatures from your property’s facade willgive you bang for little buck.

KNOW YOUR AREAIn every state, city and town there are areaswhere people of the same background,lifestyle and age will tend to congregatewhen buying property.

If you are smart about where you spendyour budget, do some research and youwill see where your property fits in.

For example, if you are looking toincrease the value of a property in abeachside suburb, you could install anoutdoor shower for sand to be rinsed offbefore entering the house.

GO GREENEnvironmentally-friendly features can bepractical and attractive, and buyers in

certain areas will pay a premium for them.If you don’t have the budget to install asolar system, you can still replace olderlighting with energy-efficient globes, installwater-saving measures in bathrooms andkitchens or rework downpipes to feed intoa small rainwater tank.

WINDOW FURNISHINGSInstall white plantation shutters orvenetian blinds to draw attention awayfrom tired window frames and back to thebeautiful interior, where it really belongs.

LIGHTINGInstalling feature lights will create a moreluxurious feel to any space and give adesigner feel to a modest area.

Basic drum lights are inexpensive andthe cheaper versions stack up against thedesigner ones.

PAINTINGPaint is one of the most cost-effective waysto give your property a higher perceivedvalue.

This is due to its ability to modernise

your property’s appearance through aneasy colour scheme change.

FLOORINGIt’s no secret that floorboards are the bee’sknees. They are fresh, clean and instantlyincrease the value of any property.

Floating and laminate flooring can costas little as $35 a square metre and beinstalled straight over existing flooring.

STORAGEBeing creative with storage is the key andit’s the clever, unexpected, smartersolutions that increase a property’s value.

Even buying pre-made cupboards andadding them to your existing kitchen willcreate an organised, clutter-free home witha place for everything.

RESURFACEIf your bathroom fittings and tiles arestructurally OK but a little dated, you are inluck. You can have a shiny, new bathroomin less than a day if you spray your oldbathroom away. Resurfacing and respraying can be doneon nearly any surface.

BRING THE OUTSIDE INSomething that always tugs at theheart/purse strings of potential buyers andrenters in Australia is an indoor/outdoorliving space.

I’ve seen ruthless bidding wars atauction simply because of this. If you havethe budget, install bi-fold doors from yourliving area to the backyard.

While this may be a more expensiveexercise, every dollar you spend will bereturned to you three-fold in added value.

Cherie Barber has tips for making your house stand out from the rest.

The Great Australian DreamMAITLAND’S GUIDE TO BUYING, BUILDING & RENOVATING

ADVERTISING FEATURE

• energy efficient designs • engineering drawings • full house plan service • units & dual occupancies

• extensions • basix reports

agcad pty ltd ph: 4933 9400 fax: 4933 9499 mob: 0438 339 400level one, 450 high st, maitland 2320

2197

928

All Things Concrete & Excavations• New driveways • Stencil • Spray-On

• Re-vamp an old tired driveway • Water Tanks• Retaining Walls • Pergolas • Pool Surrounds • Alfresco Areas • Fences

Now open to the public

Bobcat andexcavator for

hire with driver

Open Monday - Saturday9.30am-3pm or by appointment17 Railway St, Kurri Kurri (just up from McDonalds)

2198

904