Essential Guides & Advice Seeing Past The Clutter

Date Published:

22/05/2008

Lots of people advise vendors on how to make their house look more attractive - however house hunters need to be able to see the house beneath the chintz or mess.

Daphne Leck

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Ugly Ducklings

Dated and dirty kitchens are a real turn-off, but look beyond your initial impressions. A kitchen can be given a makeover by changing cupboard doors and the work surface, as long as the carcase of the units is still in good condition. Built-in cookers, hobs and hoods can be replaced. If you are brave, think big. Is there the potential for knocking two rooms together, extending a kitchen to a kitchen/dining room?

Bathrooms are another area that is often neglected. There are lots of inexpensive, modern suites and taps on the market these days. Don't be put off by that 1970s avocado bath, just change it, but remember this facility will be out of action while the replacements are being fitted! For the enthusiastic, a downstairs bathroom can be moved upstairs into space created from realigning bedroom walls.

Not many potential purchasers are willing to climb into loft spaces, but they are worth a look to see whether there is enough space to convert to further living accommodation. Lofts may be full of dust, boxes and accumulated rubbish, but a well-designed extension can add thousands to the value of your home.

Not everyone is a keen gardener but overgrown plots can be tamed. Time and cash spent landscaping even small gardens can pay back. Today gardens are important as extensions of our homes and carefully planned external presentation is becoming almost as important as internal beauty. Also consider the size of the garden. If it is large and has access it could become a building plot - but check with your local planning officer for potential.