WHAT IS THE BEST FLOORING FOR RESALE VALUE

If you're thinking of sprucing up your home to get it ready for selling, consider what type of flooring your buyers might be interested in. Why? Well, because it immediately influences the buyer’s opinion of the house as they explore every room and hallway, kitchen, and even exterior patio. Choosing the right floor, however, isn’t always cut and dried. Which is why we have put together some guidelines to help you make the right choice for your home…

Which type of flooring do buyers look for?

When it comes to flooring, there are lots of options to choose from. But, basically, what any homeowner or future homeowner is looking for when it comes to flooring, is for it to be aesthetically pleasing, durable, well-maintained, and functional.

Your ideal flooring depends on how you’ll use the space

You’ll need to think about how each room is used before making any decisions. If your intent is to leverage the house as a rental property, durable floors will offer the most value over time. If you’re struggling to decide what will work best in each space, we have put together some pointers around some of the different types of flooring and what they could be best used for:

1. Solid Hardwood

One of the most desirable flooring options is genuine hardwood floors, but these options also tend to be the most expensive. The cost of hardwood floorboards differs according to the type and grade of timber selected. The higher quality hardwood options can start from roughly R1000 per square meter, while the lower quality options could cost from R600 and up per square meter.

2. Engineered Hardwood

The more affordable way to achieve the same look as hardwood floors is to go for an engineered hardwood. Simply put, these floors are made of cheaper plywood with just a top layer of hardwood on the surface. The decision between engineered and solid hardwood flooring frequently comes down to personal preference and demands because they both provide homeowners with a comparable return on investment.

3. Laminate Flooring & Vinyl Planks

You can always choose laminate flooring for your home if investing in genuine hardwood floors is not financially feasible. This type of flooring replicates the charm and classic beauty of real wood at a lower price. Melamine resin and fiberboard are used to create laminate flooring, which makes it a great durable option in rental homes. It is important to note that these floors are not waterproof and should be avoided in rooms like kitchens and bathrooms. Unlike laminate, vinyl planks are waterproof and are comparable to laminate floors in terms of their affordability, durability, and ease of maintenance.

4. Tiled Flooring

Floor tiles are one of the most popular options, widely used in bathrooms and kitchens for their durability and waterproof nature, and of course, they're easy to clean as well – but are prone to chipping or cracking if tenants drop something heavy on them.

5. Carpet

Carpets are good for bedrooms, but they can be challenging to keep clean, especially if you have pets. For many people, there is nothing better than a cozy fitted carpet, especially for a bedroom or lounge. Although carpets have a negative reputation for harbouring allergies and bacteria, recent technologies applied to carpets have provided an avenue for countering these worries.

How do you get your floors ready for the home sale?

Excessive wear and tear on the flooring will drive buyers away. Focusing on getting your flooring looking its best before listing the house is an important step.

1. Evaluate the carpets with a critical eye:

Depending on where it is, the carpets in the house may or may not function. If the carpet is in the bathroom, then it is probably better to rip them out and replace it with tiles. It is also advisable to get all carpets professionally cleaned before putting the home on the market.

2. Repair hardwood floors:

Restoring hardwood floors properly can significantly raise a home's value. But, if you don't intend to live in the house, entirely refinishing the hardwood flooring could be a costly undertaking. Work with a real estate agent to find out if this is something that will add enough value to make it worthwhile, rather than taking on this type of expense straight away.

3. Replace broken tiles where possible:

If you have any tiles left from when the original tiling was done, replace any cracked or broken tiles. Otherwise, consider retiling the entire area with tiles that might be easier to find and replace if needed.

The bottom line on flooring

You should carefully consider your options before making any flooring changes in an attempt to increase the resale value of your home before selling. If you make the wrong choice, it could have the opposite effect on your selling price. To help you make the right decision, contact your local RE/MAX office to speak with one of our professional real estate agents to guide you in the right direction.