Leading real estate agents reveal best value-adding jobs

The federal budget may have muddied the waters when it comes to adding value to investment properties – but not so when it comes to the family home. With the home remaining exempt from Capital Gains Tax (CGT), experts say there are plenty of jobs that can be done to create extra value both before a sale and further into the future if you plan to continue living there. ONE PER CENTERS Those who are planning to sell can add value by fixing up “all the one per centers,” says Melbourne real estate agent and Hodges McGrath – Sandringham director Paul Bond. These include painting the walls if there are scuff marks, weeding and mulching the garden, regrouting the bathroom and resanding timber floors, to name a few. “It’s really important for vendors to take away as many negatives that a potential purchaser might see as possible,” Bond says. “Those little one per centers might add up.” He says he sees the best results when the vendor invests in preparing the property for sale. A recent example was a property in Hampton East, in which the vendors invested $17,000 to have it painted, the floors sanded, the garden done, and finally, professional styling done. MORE: Distressed property listing...