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To move or renovate- a 13 point check list
By Serena K Agius
May 29, 2019
Do you need an extra bedroom or additional bathroom and don’t know where to find the space?
Are you fed up that the layout of your home that doesn’t reflect the way you live today?
Do your furnishings enhance the features of your property or detract from your living enjoyment?
Deciding whether to move or renovate is difficult decision. Many people try to do this by feel so that it takes them years. What to 'DO' with your home requires information and action.
It's a good time to assess moving costs, Real Estate Agents fees, stamp duty, contract and conveyancing fees helps to start this process.
Information about real building costs, the potential of your property and whether your renovation will mean you have to move out is very valuable.
To help you decide whether your property can be changed to suit your lifestyle or whether it would be better to move, we have put together a check list.
Consider your current positives
1. Assess the benefits of the suburb you live in and whether you like living there.
2. Could you afford to upgrade your living standards moving within your current suburb or the one you want to be in?
3. Assess the location of your home with respect to distance to public transport routes, schools, shops and services?
4. Get valuations done by three recommended real estate agents and remain realistic. Vendors often believe their homes are worth more than the current market will pay.
5. Now is a good time to do some solid research on the value of your home, tracking the past 12 months of sales.
The potential of your home
6. Are there awkward pockets of space that aren't really useable? Do you feel that the laundry or bathroom either are too small or large?
7. Does your house have a northerly aspect although blank walls bedrooms, kitchen or bathrooms occupy this side of the house?
8. Consider whether you have an enclosed garage that you need mainly for storage at present. What is the access like to the garage?
9. You have a sense that the flow in your home could be improved but you don’t know how to make the trade offs between complicated pathways and entries to interconnecting rooms.
10. Does the space seem suitable but the house has a dreary feel to it?
11. Perhaps the current kitchen is serviceable, yet dated and not well positioned towards your living spaces.
12. Can you identify external area for a possible extension?
13. Although there is enough physical space, furniture seems cramped and awkward because of the arrangement or scale of the furniture.
The interesting details and character that drew you to your home in the first place may be able to be retained and enhanced.
It's exciting to think that you could change your place and get creative so that your home is more beautiful than ever. Understanding what your home could be (or not) gives you facts to make that decision.
If you're still not sure, give us a call and we'll be happy to put finishing touches to your ideas. Here at A Colour ID we are designers skilled at improving existing building stock.
Visit the Services page for more details about my specialities.
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