3 cost effective ways to add value to your properties.

There are many articles, blogs and people saying that they know the best way to add value to a property. From a simple dust to an extension, I have been working hard for the benefit of all the landlords and property managers to narrow it down to the best way to make more from your property. So what’s the conclusion? Gardening? Insulation? Solar Panels? Although these are all good ways; I couldn’t find a simple one-size-fits-all answer but until then, here are the top three methods out there that are bound to boost the profits that your property hosts.

Firstly, give the place a paint job.  That’s right, at 20 quid per can, how expensive can it be? You could even do it yourself! I think I need bigger emphasis on ‘could’.  Get some help from your tenants, brother, wife or whoever is capable and there you have yourself a property with added value with little cost. (Although you might owe a few favours!). A few tips to consider: it’s not just the walls, the skirting boards and window frames all add to the overall aesthetics of the building. Not to forget the exterior, if in doubt, go with white. A white exterior makes the place appear larger and appeals to %40 more potential buyers.

Secondly, this one concerns your monthly costs, and your properties value. Win-win! Go green – you may have done it already, you may loath those 30 seconds it takes for the energy-saving light bulbs to come to their full brightness but stick with it. Your bank account will agree. There’s still more you can do, like installing energy efficient appliances. When you’re next shopping for kit, make sure to spot the ‘energy efficient’ logo. Once your property is fitted out with these appliances, your bills will thank you (and so too will the environment!). Not only will your monthly bills be reduced significantly, with these furnishings,   you can add a little extra to the price of your property!

Finally, in our quest to find cost effective ways to improve the home, we bring you to the loft.  Converting the loft will bring an estimated 10 to 15 percent increase in the value or your property -Especially in London where space is in high demand. At an average cost of £550 per square metre, there’s profit to be made. Besides, what is your loft currently doing now? Hoarding those boxes that you still haven’t packed from the day you moved in? Now you can turn it into an office, or another bedroom, squeeze in another tenant – And there you have it, it’s paying itself off in no time!

Every property is different and that’s where you can decide where the most improvements can be made. Whether you’re a landlord or family homeowner, you have to work out how much it will disrupt tenants or your family and for how long will you reap the rewards of a long term investment? These questions are ones only you can answer but hopefully after reading this you have had a little push in the right direction.

Ashley Charles is an estate and lettings agency in Reading; Specialising in residential sales and lettings.

http://www.ashleycharles.com/

Sources used include: http://blog.propertyowl.co.uk/

Alex Evans

You May Also Enjoy

Estate Agent Talk

Is it worth buying a fixer-upper property?

The latest research from eXp UK reveals that fixer-upper homes can be picked up for an average saving of more than £44,000, but when the cost of renovating the property is accounted for do homebuyers actually stand to make a saving? And what chance do buyers have of finding one on today’s market? Fixer-uppers are…
Read More
Breaking News

Nottingham letting agents are the busiest in Britain

The latest research from Propoly reveals that across Britain’s major cities, there are an average of 13.5 rental listings for each single letting agency branch, with the nation’s busiest agents found in Nottingham where this figure climbs to 35 properties per professional. Propoly has analysed the estimated number of current rental listings in 21 of…
Read More
Breaking News

The six protections every new-build buyer must check before signing

With 53% of homebuyers saying they would prefer a new build, demand remains high, but so do the risks if buyers fail to ask the right questions. Buying a new build often means committing to a property that is not yet finished, which makes the small print just as important. Without these protections, buyers risk…
Read More
Breaking News

Rental price and average salary tracker – February 2026

Regional divergence replaces winter slowdown as rental market shows mixed February movement Month-on-month rental prices showed a mixed picture in February. Notable increases were recorded in the East Midlands (+3.4%), North West (+2.8%), Scotland (+2.7%) and South East (+2.0%), suggesting demand has firmed in several areas. However, Northern Ireland (−6.6%), West Midlands (−1.3%), East of…
Read More
Breaking News

UK property sector gender pay gap keeps getting wider

UK property sector gender pay gap keeps getting wider and It now has the fourth largest gap across all UK industries The latest research from Yopa reveals that real estate remains one of the UK’s worst-performing industries when it comes to the gender pay gap, ranking as the fourth largest across all sectors after widening…
Read More
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

Britain’s most expensive streets revealed

The latest edition of Rightmove’s Most Expensive Streets report reveals that Winnington Road in Barnet, London, retains its position as Great Britain’s most expensive street, with an average asking price of £12,538,095 Chester Square in Westminster is second, with an average asking price of £11,546,428 and The Bishops Avenue in Barnet is third, with a price tag of £8,930,650 East Road…
Read More