When the time comes to sell your home, you want to get the best price possible. Ideally, you will get more for your house than you bought it for, but this is less likely to happen without you putting in a little bit of work while you are living there.
There is no such thing as starting to add value to your home too early. Remember that you will also reap the benefits of any upgrades you make while you are living there. For this reason, it is a good idea to be improving the property on a regular basis, as you will not only enjoy any improvements you make but also get a return on your investment when you sell.
There are many different ways you can add value to your home, and good use of doors is one of the most effective. If your doors are looking old and tired, it is worth bearing one (or more) of the following things in mind to ensure you get the best deal when it comes to selling your house...
'Curb appeal'
One concept that many estate agents might end up mentioning a lot is 'curb appeal'. This is a vague measure of how positive an impression potential buyers get of a house just from standing outside. Many different aspects of a home can affect this attribute, some of which can be very easy to improve.
For example, making sure your front lawn is neat and tidy, and any flowerbeds are well-maintained and free from weeds, can have a huge effect on the amount people are willing to pay for a home. However, one of the best ways to achieve good curb appeal is with an eye-catching front door.
This does not have to be incredibly elaborate. However, it should be stylish and well-maintained, and above all it should stand out. Prospective buyers may not notice a plain front door, however if it is a stylish glazed offering, an elegant shade of solid natural wood or well-adorned with furniture it will grab their attention.
This serves to improve the first impression of your house that potential buyers get. A good first impression can make prospective buyers more receptive to the rest of your home, and more likely to buy even if there are flaws elsewhere.
DIY
It should go without saying, but your home should be as perfect as possible inside if you want it to sell for a good amount. A squeaky hinge or a door that sticks might not seem like a big problem to you, but it might stick out like a sore thumb to potential buyers.
Make sure to pay attention to any problematic hinges and any doors that stick from poor fitting or abuse they may have had over the years. The key is to focus on superficial defects. If you can see, hear or feel any flaws in your doors then they will need fixing. Luckily, these are not big jobs. Simply take a day one weekend to make sure the contents of your house are in good working order.
French doors
Just as it is important for your front door to look elegant and eye-catching, it is also a good idea to make some improvements to the rear of your home. One of the best ways to do this is to add in a set of wooden french doors leading onto the rear of your home.
There are a great many good reasons to do this. First of all, it adds a panoramic view to the room at the back of your house, as your attractive back garden can be seen in all its glory. This makes the room it is in more attractive - think of it as a large piece of art.
It also makes your home brighter overall, and this makes it more appealing to potential buyers. A well-lit home, particularly one flooded with plenty of natural light, looks like a more positive environment and will give people a better impression of your home overall.
This might seem like an expensive option, and there is no denying that it could be a significant investment, but it will almost certainly add its cost (if not more) back onto the value of your home.
Using internal doors
Internal doors are an often-overlooked aspect of a home, but they can add real value. As with the front door, the key advantage is that so many homes have very similar internal doors, often opting for the most basic models. Varying from this will give your home added appeal.
'Location, Location, Location' presenter and house finder Phil Spencer has a trick that can add to the value of your house: make your internal doors taller. This can easily be done thanks to the availability of custom-sized doors and frames.
Mr Spencer said that this simple tactic "makes the house look bigger, the ceilings feel higher and gives a rather grand effect". The effect of this will be multiplied with impressive and stylish doors. Elegant wood and paneling look excellent in vintage homes, for example.
You can also use internal glazed doors to improve brightness in your rooms, allowing them to feel more spacious and airy.
All of these tips will go a long way towards increasing the value of your home. Of course, you will also get to enjoy them while you are still living in the property. If you are thinking of giving one of your rooms a bit of a makeover, it is worth bearing these tips in mind, as they will pay off in the long-term.