It is a common fallacy among Australian homeowners that only expensive home improvements raise the value of their property. In reality, a clean “bill of health” of your house is more than enough to help it reach its maximum market value.
Nothing sets off buyers more than a moldy bathroom, loose floorboards, or a rat running through the house. Here are a couple of tips on how to keep your house healthy and safe, so the sale price can be set higher.
Childproof window locks
If you have children of your own or a family with children decides to buy our house, the safety of the little ones is a huge concern.
They are inquisitive about the world around them, which can often lead to dangerous situations. Recently, a 4-year-old fell from a window in Sydney and was rushed to the hospital.
Installing childproof locks on windows, especially the ones on higher floors helps protect falls from height. Once prospective buyers realize that you have protected the window area, they will know that the rest of the house is childproof.
Clean the house regularly
Cleaning the house might seem like a normal thing to do but you’d be surprised by the number of owners who fail to perform this simple chore. When you remove the much and dirt, you are actually removing germs, preventing the transmission of various diseases.
It is important that you clean the house regularly. One solution is to hire a cleaning service or you can clean it on your own, one room at a time. Failing to clean the house regularly will make it harder to spruce it up for staging. Years and years of accumulated muck will show no matter how hard you scrub.
Fire safety
A house fire can escalate quickly, burning down the entire structure. That is why fire prevention is important and desirable because new owners won’t have to invest in smoke detectors and fire alarms. Unlike industrial structures, residential fire safety systems are simpler and cheaper.
For instance, the kitchen hood exhaust should be cleaned often, as the grease that build ups over the years can catch on fire. Furthermore, the kitchen can feature a sprinkler system and a wall-mounted smoke detector. Fire alarms should be well maintained, with brand new batteries inside.
A vermin-free house
Unlike high-rises, mice and rats can easily penetrate your home through the basement. Pest control is essential if you wish to avoid a pest infestation. In Australia, termites are a common problem, making professional pest control in Cairns and other regions of the country mandatory.
Apart from terrifying the residents and lowering the standard of living, pests pose a health risk. From bites of venomous snakes to diseases carried by rodents, pests inside the house will devaluate your property.
Rummaging through the fridge
Speaking of pests, they are attracted to the smell of food. Taking the trash out regularly is one way to keep your house clean but the refrigerator will need cleaning as well.
You need to go through it and dispose of all food that has gone off or you have no need for. Afterward, you should deice it and clean it thoroughly, so it smells nice the next you open the fridge door.
Proper storage of chemicals
We’ve mentioned that windows inside your house should be childproof but dangers lurk in other places, such as the medicines cabinet. Namely, a typical home is full of various harmful chemicals that require proper storage.
From household cleaners to perfumes, all chemicals should be kept under lock or set in high places, such as cabinets that children cannot reach. This way, your bathroom space will be used more efficiently and the house will be safer for children.
Cleaning the cabinets and the larder
Older structures often have a large or a garden shed. These are the places you don’t venture into often, so there is no need to clean them, right? Well, in terms of real estate value, this is wrong, as a decrepit shed in the backyard is an indicator of poor maintenance.
Repaint the shed and remove cobwebs. Furthermore, clean the inside of all the cabinets, especially the ones in the kitchen, as you store food there. Buyers often like to be shown the inside of cabinets to see if there is dust or mold inside them.
Pressure-wash the driveway
Finally, you should spruce up the home’s exterior. After all, curb appeal is important, as you wish to leave a positive first impression of your suburban Brisbane home, for instance.
Repainting the front door and a new, shiny house number are desirable but what you really need is a clean driveway. From dirt between concrete slabs to weed growing along the curbside, the driveway can really detract from a house’s look.
All of the tips listed above are nothing more than regular and proper maintenance of the house. However, a spotless and safe home is bound to bring in extra dollar bills when your home goes up for sale.
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