Following on from my article last month, where we predominantly focused on the interior of the property, this month the focus turns to the outside areas.
The overcrowded property marketplace has resulted in fierce competition in both property sales and rentals. This article looks at ways in which you can beat the competition, whether selling or renting, by making your property more appealing.
It might not seem sound advice to spend a significant amount of money on your property when you intend to sell or rent. However, carried out in the right manner, with careful, experienced planning, the following tips have been proven to add value and generate greater interest in both sales and rentals.
▪ Provided you have enough outdoor space, adding a swimming pool is an obvious way to create another dimension to your property, and it will certainly increase the value of rental/sales income, whichever is your objective. It will propel your property up into the next price bracket.
▪ Include an al-fresco dining area, with built-in barbecue, sink and fridge – keeping the beer and wine on ice and close to hand when having those all important summer barbecues! And with careful, experienced planning, this can be designed to provide shelter from the midday sun, as well as the early evening wind, not to mention the added value.
▪ Build a gazebo, or other form of open covered area in your garden, creating an additional living zone, adding to your property’s appeal and increasing its competitiveness in the marketplace.
▪ Extending terrace areas can also have the advantage of creating additional living areas, and in certain circumstances this will have the effect of reducing garden/grass areas, which can be expensive to water and maintain. Consequently, this will reduce the running costs of your property, potentially having the effect of being more attractive to buyers, and certainly more profitable on rentals.
▪ Create a roof terrace to take advantage of the warm summer evenings and capture that amazing sunset. It will also generate another living zone to the property, and add value.
▪ Build a carport or garage. Adding useful spaces such as this will add another dimension to your property, creating greater appeal and a contribution to the bottom line.
Finally, be sure to present your property in its best light; clean, tidy and well-groomed with a fresh coat of paint.
By Brett Hawkins
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Brett Hawkins is the managing director of GMT 24:7, a local expert in all areas of general building and property maintenance, with offices in Lagos and Almancil. | www.gmt247.eu
