Property Development Adding Value To Your Home

Date Published:

04/06/2008

Will Making My Home Greener Boost Its Value?

Making your home more energy efficient will make your property more attractive to buyers. What's less clear whether these measures actually add value.

At the moment, 'buyer interest' in a property's Energy Performance Certificate rating (as part of the new Home Information Pack) is still lukewarm. But, with an increasing number of newly-built, eco-friendly homes coming onto the market, energy efficiency and carbon footprints are likely to become far more important.

Beefing up the insulation, installing a new boiler, central heating controls, etc, they should top the to-do list. More expensive eco-improvements, such as solar panelling or ground source heating, may also appeal to some buyers but don't expect to recoup the cost through the asking price.

* For a free, impartial Home Energy Check on your property and details of any grants you may be eligible for, visit Energy Savings Trust (or ring 0800 512 012).
*A number of private companies also carry out detailed on-site environmental audits for the homeowner including www.3acorns.co.uk and www.greenhomesconcierge.co.uk.

'Since energy costs are likely to soar over the next decade, any technology that reduces the carbon footprint of a house as well as its energy bills is an asset that will increase the value of the property,' says green energy expert Andrew Robertson from the Clean Energy Consultancy and central heating pump suppliers, Grundfos.

Is It Worth Using A House Doctor?

If you don't want to spend big bucks on your home, and are biding time before you put it on the market, you could get a 'house doctor' in to give it a 'facelift' or 'detox' and help maximise the property's selling potential. This might include de-cluttering, a thorough clean, painting, replacing old furniture with selected new items and basic repairs. 'Depending on the state of the property, it can easily add five per cent to the average property's asking price,' says Tina Jesson, founder of Homestagers.

Even if it doesn't add value, a good home detox should help sell your home more quickly when you come to put it on the market. Don't forget, though, anything a house doctor can do, you can do, too - it just takes willpower (to de-clutter), time (you'll always take longer to clear away your own clutter than someone else would, and decorating is always more time-consuming than you think) and good common sense (surely you've seen enough makeover shows by now to know that not everyone likes patterned wallpaper and matching carpets!).

There is a school of thought that says if you sell your property with planning permission in place it will add value. Don't count on it on it unless you're bringing something special to the table, such as permission for a change of use or for an extension that makes full use of the fact your property's got the corner plot, advises James Brooks of London estate agents Kinleigh, Folkard & Hayward. 'Some buyers will be put off buying a property because they don't like the plans that come with the property and object to paying a premium for something they don't want,' says Duncan Samuel, founder of online conveyancers Convex.

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The views represented in this article are those of the author and not of Channel 4. The purpose of the article is to provide general information only and does not constitute financial, investment, legal or other advice.You should not rely on any information provided in this article and you should always seek out independent professional advice relevant to your own particular circumstances.