The kitchen and bathroom will always play an important role within the home – it is crucial that the right amount of investment is put into them. New owners usually refurbish, while potential buyers consider the investments they’ll have to make to create what they want.

Retail and Display Coordinator at Tile Africa, Liza Watermeyer says that the kitchen is very easily seen as the heart of the home; where food is prepared and always welcoming. The bathroom on the other hand is where we start and end our day, and for some it may be seen as a private space in which to escape for a while. An investment like this should be given careful thought - a good guideline amount to collectively invest in these rooms is approximately 5 to 10% of the value of the property. If you are going to upgrade, purchasing local upgrades not only boosts our economy but allows for easy repair too.

If you’re thinking of selling and your bond is low, upgrading your kitchen and bathroom may boost your asking price. If you don’t think that the rooms will detract too much from the asking price, then leave an upgrade of this magnitude to the new owners. Conducting a Comparative Market Analysis also helps you establish whether or not you should scale back or get the refurbishments going.

Less is more, especially when selling your home. Give future owners something they can envision as their own.

Refurbish tips from Liza:

• Create a contingency budget:  When revamping there will be unexpected problems that crop up. A contingency budget will offset such issues.
• Many buyers simply want to move straight into a property and not have to deal with any hassles. Utilising the services of professional, reputable kitchen and bathroom planners and contractors will go a long way towards avoiding hassles from cropping up.
• Provide plenty of storage space: Families are always on the lookout for bathrooms and kitchens that feature a decent amount of neat and convenient storage space, so incorporate as much of this as possible.

For more information call Tile Africa on or visit www.tileafrica.co.za.