It almost pains me to admit it, but Channel Nine’s 2011 series of The Block has me hooked. I love my daily dose of renovating life for the four pairs toiling with hearts and hands in Melbourne’s inner suburbs.
This week saw the big reveal of bedroom 2 in each of the four properties. Along with judges Neale Whitaker and John McGrath, I felt that Josh and Jenna’s second bedroom was a real standout. It’s functional; it’s smart and fresh without being an assault on the senses. These elements combined would appear to make it the most saleable of the four rooms presented.
Here are five lessons to remember if you too plan to renovate to speculate and why the other three rooms fell short.
1. Don’t sacrifice bedrooms: Katrina and Aimie made it clear they wanted to target young professionals by sacrificing a bedroom for a home office despite bedrooms having a far higher dollar value than a home office. Judge, real estate agent John McGrath knew it and spoke openly of his concerns about how buyers would feel about it. Designated offices can work, but Katrina and Aimee’s is built in, so converting the space to the original use might open an expensive and inconvenient can of worms. This means Katrina and Aimee’s property will draw from a much shallower buyer’s pool than the other contestants with their properties.
2. If there’s a good chance the finish will come out looking dodgy – don’t do it, unless you have the time and money to fix it. This is where faux finishes can bring you down. Case in point; the stainless cupboard doors in K&A’s home office.
3. Make use of all the available space, dead space is..Well…dead. Tania and Rod did this well. They stayed with the bedroom function and added a study area and included plenty of floor to ceiling storage. Polly and Waz on the other hand stopped short and created a large dead zone above the build in wardrobe. As good as it might be to have a TV in the study in K&A’s room, I just can’t see the space being used for that purpose as often as it should be despite a comfy chair.
4. If it’s permanent, keep it simple, if it’s not a fixed element, have a little fun. Tania and Rod’s shag carpet won’t appeal to many buyers. Yes it adds warmth, but it’s awfully impractical especially in living areas. For anyone keen on shag carpeting, go with something less permanent and get a rug.
5. Keep an eclectic style in check: Both judges were highly critical of K&A for this reason. I like a room to be memorable, and as a seller you need that. But there’s a fine line between eclectic and just plain old weird. It distracts buyers from the task at hand. If you plan on selling the space on the open property market, lightly sprinkle a few eclectic (but not permanent) touches to add some interest, don’t allow an eclectic look to define the space.
Bathrooms and laundries are renovated next week…the workhorse spaces in any home. Let’s see what comes.
8. Give buyers a reason to go outside. This is where a more established home like yours has a serious advantage. Most new builds have very little by way of landscaping. So, if you can add something that they haven’t got, you’re gonna jump way up the ‘for sale’ property ladder. Consider adding a very simple paved area for an outdoor table and chairs with an umbrella (borrow the furniture if you need to) for shade and a few potted plants to soften the hard edges. But I warn you – don’t go overboard. Quite frankly, this is not the time to put in that swimming pool. Keep it low cost and keep it simple.
7. Kitchen appliances should not only work well, but look good. I remember the time I inspected a family home that didn’t have a working stove or oven. That meant an immediate deduction off the home’s asking price because in a family home, it’s an essential to daily family life
4. What are your immediate needs and what would a buyer expect to see in this space? 