If you’re planning on sprucing up your property before putting it on the market, your bathroom could be a great place to start to getting that quick sale.
Given that a charming bathroom can be one of the most significant factors in influencing a buyer’s decision, it’s likely to be closely scrutinised during viewing times. This makes the bathroom an effective place to begin renovations when it comes to adding value to your home.
In this guest post, bathroom experts Jaquar are offering their ‘how to’ guide, so that you’ll be on your way to turning your bathroom into one of the most attractive rooms in the house. From adding a statement bathtub to giving the walls a fresh lick of paint, they’ll leave you equipped with all of the tricks and tips to increase the market value of your property and generate a quick sale.
Functional yet fabulous fixtures
Undoubtedly, the focal point of your bathroom for potential buyers will be the fixtures and fittings which complete the room and add the finishing touches. From intricate designs to mosaic patterns or sleek and simple statements, the fixtures are a great way to set the vibe for your bathroom design.
To generate a fast sale, it’s best to design your bathroom in a way that will appeal to many tastes and provide a blank canvas for viewers to imagine themselves living in. To attain this aesthetic, think timeless – not trendy. To raise the resale value of your home, you’ll need to create a bathroom which can stand the test of time, so if the sale takes a little longer than expected, your bathroom design still looks brand new.
Think basic features with a neutral finish that give off as little personality as possible. If you’d prefer to add a touch of colour, you could always do so with some small accessories which don’t overpower the room, or the vision of your buyer. An efficient way to ensure you’re making a good purchase is to think about how the product will look in 10 years – this way, the buyer will envision that there’s less to do when they move in to make the place their own.
Nothing says rest and relaxation as much as a jetted bathtub or a luxury sink with waterfall taps – which are also likely to resonate with your buyer, and increase their chances of making an offer. However, the most important thing to bear in mind is to opt for designs which are as simple as possible to add the most value to your home.
A fresh lick of paint
While a fresh lick of paint alone isn’t likely to boost the resale value of your home, it could contribute to making the room appear tidier and well kept. The most important thing to bear in mind when choosing the perfect shade is a neutral colour palette. After all, it’s all about creating a sleek blank canvas for your buyer, and of course, neutral colours leave everything to the imagination.
However, neutral doesn’t have to mean boring – you’ll still have a lot of freedom to change the overall look with tan colours such as oatmeal or beige. These hues are a great way to add a little luxury and sophistication without breaking the bank. When paired with simple fixtures, your bathroom will give off a clean and well-maintained vibe which is sure to catch the eye of potential buyers and create a positive impression of this room and the rest of the home.
The same rules apply to tiling water-prone areas. From walk-in shower areas to tiling above your basin, sticking to simple designs and neutral tones will increase buyer interest, while also creating an illusion of more space. The bathroom is a great place to add a little luxury, so watch out for sale items and special offers – this way, you can get the best deal, all while creating an extra selling point to entice your buyer.
Depersonalise and declutter
While it’s advantageous to store away as much as possible, it’s often difficult to find a place in a small bathroom vanity for everything. So, by keeping your items looking tidy and to maximise on space, be savvy about your storage in a way that doesn’t dominate your bathroom’s appeal.
Appliances such as hair dryers or straighteners can easily creep over your shelf space, so to keep them contained, attach a file organiser or magazine rack to the side of your bathroom sink with plastic stick-ons, or inside of vanity cabinet doors. For those items which are difficult to contain such as hair pins, attach a magnetic strip to the inside of vanity cupboard doors to store items out of sight, without taking up too much of your shelf space. Alternatively, make use of old mason jars for make-up brushes or toothbrushes to solve your small-item storage issues. Not only will they look great, but they also won’t distract your buyer from your fixtures and fittings.
Think eco-friendly installations
With buyers increasingly on the lookout for eco-friendly features when viewing properties, keeping this in mind when installing fittings and fixtures to your home will not only boost its resale value, but also enhance its kerb appeal on the market.
If you haven’t already made the switch to LED light bulbs, technological advancements mean that there’s now a fitting to suit almost every bathroom. LED light bulbs have been proven to help homeowners save money on their energy bills, and reduce the cost of replacement bulbs. So, LED bulbs not only look great, but are also an effective selling point to potential buyers looking for a long-term investment.
The more energy efficient fittings that you have in your home, the greater a selling point it will be to your buyer – and the bathroom is an effective place to start. Another worthwhile installation is an energy-efficient vent fan to keep the moisture at bay. An energy-star rated fan could save you money on your energy bills without compromising on functionality, which will be sure to resonate with the interests of potential buyers. Even the smallest of features could help your property stand out from its competitors, and after all, the better facilities it can offer, the greater its valuation is likely to be.
Consider water usage
While the bathroom may be one of the smallest rooms in your home, wasted water poses an eco-friendly problem in nearly all bathroom spaces. Flushing is often the highest use of water in the home, so replacing your old toilet with a low-flow model is a great place to start when it comes to saving money on water bills, and is a powerful selling point for potential buyers. Newer homes are likely to boast energy-efficient toilets as they were recently installed and designed by a contractor. If your property is older, water-saving facilities such as these are a great way to boost the appeal and resale value of your home.
A low-flow shower head is perfect for those who view a shorter shower as simply unattainable. You could save money on the amount of water that you’re using while you’re showering and the amount of energy that you’re using to heat your water. Not only that, low-flow shower heads are an inexpensive upgrade, and installation is easy. So, if you’re looking to make a simple upgrade which could give your property the edge over its competitor while also boosting resale value, a low-flow showerhead is a great place to start.
We hope that with these tips, you’ll be well-equipped to make some worthwhile updates to your bathroom design to capture the hearts of your buyers and generate a quick sale on your home. Our ultimate tip is to create a blank canvas for the buyer, so that they’ll have less to do when they move in, and can easily imagine making your home their own.