Written by Neil Hipwell
In today’s housing market, the median time a home spends on the market is up to 36 days, however, this isn’t the case everywhere. Some suburbs are falling well behind, with properties sitting unsold for over 100 days, and in extreme cases, lingering on the market for up to six months.
For home owners looking to sell, standing out in a competitive market is critical but that doesn’t mean you need to invest in expensive renovations. With strategic budget-friendly upgrades, sellers can significantly boost their property’s appeal and attract buyers more quickly.
Intentional improvements to the exterior can increase curb appeal and modernise a dated home. Sometimes, even just small changes can make a big impact when done with purpose, giving home sellers a great value without overspending. Here are a few key things home owners can do to increase the value of their homes.
Boost appeal with exterior ‘face-lifts’
First impressions matter and modernising your home’s exterior is one of the most cost-effective ways to boost property value. While simple updates like a fresh coat of paint or refreshed rooflines can enhance curb appeal, cladding over dated brickwork offers a dramatic transformation. The key is to begin with a clear design vision and select the right exterior materials.
Hardie fibre cement cladding is an excellent choice for reimagining a home’s facade without the need for costly or invasive structural changes. Stria cladding fine texture, in particular, provides a sleek, contemporary finish that brings a clean, modern aesthetic to any home. Cladding enhances an older home’s wall system which improves the overall thermal performance. Also, its easy installment reduces time and the return on investment doubles with durability and longevity.
In a recent Brisbane project, a $50,000 investment in exterior renovations helped deliver a potential $100,000 increase in resale value, highlighting the strong return that strategic, high-visibility upgrades can offer.
High-visibility area upgrades
Target key visual areas such as the front façade and entryway for upgrades, which leaves the original structure preserved while achieving maximum visual impact.
Upgrading windows doesn’t always mean a full replacement; simple additions like window shrouds can seamlessly blend existing windows with new cladding, creating a modern look that enhances aesthetics while saving money.
When it comes to the entryway, a well-framed, light-filled design offers a renewed and inviting first impression. Adding a new gable roofline, or a triangle gable window above the entryway adds a dramatic focal point yet balanced with natural light entering the home. Using Axon cladding and Linea weatherboard around the entry and façade further enhances the look, delivering a clean aesthetic that feels both fresh and timeless.When combined, these upgrades can transform the front facade of an older home into a modern showpiece.
The bottom line
When preparing to sell your home, it’s important to prioritise upgrades that appeal to local buyers and create a bright, inviting and comfortable living space. Focus on improvements that enhance natural light, improve thermal performance and strengthen key visual features such as the façade, entryway and outdoor presentation.
Even modest investments, like updated windows, fresh cladding or a well-designed roofline, can dramatically increase curb appeal. All renovations begin with a clear vision, but seeing and feeling the materials firsthand can make all the difference in design choices. James Hardie’s sample service provides free samples that can bring that vision to life and give you confidence to know exactly what works for your space.
Thoughtful and well-placed updates like these can make a dated home feel modern, inviting and ready to attract buyers.
Delivering on this even further and to help home owners transform their homes, whether selling or not, James Hardie, long trusted for its industry-leading cladding and exterior solutions, is giving home owners the chance to win a prize of up to $40,000 for their exterior transformation. The prize includes a bespoke design consultation with myself and the Futureflip team, Hardie Architectural Collection cladding up to a value of $10,000 and a $20,000 prepaid Debit Card. To enter, home owners simply upload a photo of their tired façade and complete the entry form on the competition site by 26 October, 11:59pm AEDT.
