Put a sparkle in your bathroom and your buyer’s eye
10 April 2006
The bathroom is a key selling point when putting your home on the market, coming a close second to the kitchen.
And real estate industry insiders say bathrooms where homeowners can really pamper themselves before or after a hectic day in the rat race are becoming a discernible trend.
“Bathrooms are no longer just utility rooms – they have attained iconic status and a well-appointed bathroom, especially an en-suite unit, may very well be the deciding factor in a home purchase,” says Berry Everitt, MD of the Chas Everitt International property group.
The latest bathroom trends, he says, include heated floors, steam showers with multiple showerheads, soaking tubs and towel warmers. And if it is a bathroom en-suite, a small fridge within easy reach and even fireplaces are becoming more popular.
“But while some luxury homes do offer bathrooms on the scale of a Roman bath house, complete with stretches of marble and spiralling columns, even a modest update of an ordinary bathroom can bring about a quicker sale.
“What’s more, homeowners can expect to recover about 88 percent of the cost of any bathroom renovation once they sell.”
Everitt says that if you can afford it, you should consider replacing the old bathroom suite, having the floor and walls tiled and installing a new vanity. “But if you’re on a very tight budget, or need to sell urgently, try repainting the bathroom in a neutral shade and installing a large new medicine/ makeup cabinet and some additional lighting for a quick fix.
“Then make sure all surfaces, especially mirrors and fittings, are polished up to a sparkle, hang some new towels and add suitable extras such as flowers, candles and bottles of bath oil for a luxurious look.”
Issued by Chas Everitt International
For further information call Brenda Smith at
Chas Everitt International Bryanston on 011 463 2033
or visit www.chaseveritt.com