With house prices seemingly at an all-time high, you would think that selling your home would be as easy as selling a dog a bone; that prospective buyers would be climbing over each other to get a chance at a guided tour, before the offers start to pour in.

There’s an element of truth to this. We are, without a doubt, in a seller’s market. If you’re looking to sell, you’ll be in with a good chance of making some serious equity. The only thing standing in your way is the long (often frustrating and annoying) process of selling itself. Often full of all sorts of bumps in the road – both predictable and totally unforeseeable – you’ll probably feel a lot better when a surveyor visits to value your home if you’ve already made steps to increase the price of your home.

If you’re considering selling, but haven’t yet added any value to your home, don’t worry. We’re going to take you through some of the smartest renovations you can make to your home that can add value instantly. So, without any further ado, let’s get started.

Convert Your Loft

So, let’s start off big. Not all houses have lofts, but if you’re lucky enough to have one yourself, you could end up adding significant value to your home. Loft conversions often take a lot of work, mostly because of the inconvenient location and the fact that they are, more often than not, left alone, unused for years on end.

The best thing you can do from a financial perspective is convert your loft into a bedroom. As most UK house prices are dictated by the number of bedrooms, then adding another one will make a huge difference to the asking price – usually in the region of 10-25%. As I mentioned earlier, the conversion itself can take a fairly long time due to its position above other rooms and the barebones nature of most lofts – they’ll often require new insulation, flooring, and electrical infrastructure.

But once the job is complete, and you’ve somehow managed to get a bed up there, you can finally add the finishing touches. Furniture like a chest of drawers and a wardrobe, along with canvas prints and maybe a TV, will set you up for success, then you’ll finally be in a position to see major gains when you sell.

Read: The Science of Sofa Designs: Getting the Best Seat in the House

Upgrade Your Kitchen

If the home has a heart, it’s probably the kitchen. This is especially true for modern homes that have modern kitchens, because they make a huge difference to the overall house price. Not only that, but these new kitchens are starting to blur the line between kitchen and living room. With open plans and a deliberate effort to include more seating, the kitchen now has a less explicit purpose for preparing meals, and is now also a broader hangout space for families and guests. Oftentimes, these kitchens open up into a broader sitting area, with acres of space for sofas, rugs, and coffee tables, so now the designated chef can still be part of the party.

f you enhance the quality of your new kitchen with premium worktop materials, like marble or granite, you’ll only increase the appeal of your home as a whole, and therefore boost your potential house price increase to the higher end of the 5-15% spectrum.

Furthermore, why not also add a large island and a breakfast bar? It’ll add to the social atmosphere that you’re building overall. And finally, if we’re adding finishing touches, then pay close attention to the lighting in your new kitchen; I’d recommend under-cabinet lighting, pendant fixtures, and layered illumination to add a modern shimmer to the proceedings.

Make Your Bathroom Spa-Worthy

Going back a few decades, bathrooms were just seen as functional spaces that existed solely out of necessity. But now, we associate them more and more with comfort and relaxation. As such, if your bathroom is overdue for a makeover, I’d recommend taking some inspiration from spas to create a calm, refined atmosphere that’s also more practical.

Lean into natural materials and enhanced lighting, with deliberate mirror placements. Walk-in showers are becoming increasingly popular, especially when they’re coupled with frameless glass doors. They make the room feel more spacious and more luxurious.

Vanity upgrades are also a great way to drive up the value of the room, and therefore the house. Double sinks feel effortlessly luxurious, and you can never have enough integrated storage; it’s not only practical – it’ll scale up the whole appearance of the room.

Most people who renovate their bathrooms tend to forget about ventilation and lighting. Bright overhead lights enhance the aesthetics of the room and give it an extra layer of polish, while an updated ventilation system will maintain air quality and guarantee that you won’t ever have to worry about mould. Overall, a good bathroom renovation typically adds an extra 5% on to house prices, so it’s well worth considering.

Conclusion

Even with house prices at an all-time high in most places, it’s no guarantee that you’re going to get exactly what you want. If you want to secure the equity you need, then making a few key renovations might be the way to go. After that, all you need to worry about is adding the finishing touches with a few well-placed canvas prints and luxury cushions.