Whether you’re spending a few thousand dollars or a king’s ransom, the key to home improvements is maximising the return on your investment.

We ask three leading SA real estate experts for tips about boosting the value of your home.

Improving your living space is one of life’s joys. Think of relaxing with a cold drink in your new alfresco area or cooking a spicy rogan josh in your stylish and spacious kitchen – what bliss.

Before you start dreaming, consider your short, medium and long-term plans. Are you selling in a year or two, perhaps downsizing in 10 years, or is this your forever home? Your answer has a huge bearing on what improvements to make and how much to spend.

Selling up

You don’t need to spend a fortune enhancing your home’s appeal to potential buyers.

Ouwens Casserly Real Estate sales consultant Cynthia Sajkunovic says if you’re selling, think refurbishment rather than renovation.

“People want neat, healthy-looking lawns and some nice shrubs and ground cover,” Cynthia says.

“Inside, your windows, floors and surfaces should be sparkling clean, and your cupboards decluttered.

“If you have drab curtains, replace them with hotel-style linen versions and consider installing a glass kitchen splashback if yours is looking tired.”

Noakes Nickolas Director Callan Eames says first impressions count.

“People will notice the front of your home immediately,” he says. “If it has a wow factor, it’ll encourage potential buyers to look online or attend an open inspection.”

A change of mindset is vital for any home seller. It’s not about your sense of style and how you live, but what suits the next owner.

“Focus on the floors and walls,” Callan says. “You may love your feature wall but they’re polarising, so painting it white or off-white will attract more buyers.”

“Also, sand and polish wooden floors and replace worn carpets. It’s a small investment with a big return.”

In for the long haul

What if you’re staying in your home long-term but want to renovate with an eye on a future sale? Owner and director of TOOP+TOOP Bronte Manuel says upgrading kitchens and bathrooms in neutral colours and natural materials will boost your home’s ongoing appeal.

“Try to use materials like stone, glass and timber when renovating kitchens and wet areas,” Bronte says. “And buyers want big, open-plan areas so make the most of any you have.”

As for installing a pool, Bronte says it depends on what you have in mind.

“The most attractive pools double as water features,” he says. “They’re close to the back of the house and viewable from the kitchen and living areas.’

“The number of buyers deterred by pools has shrunk, but don’t install one just before selling.”

When renovating, Cynthia suggests visiting open inspections in your area.

“See what features are popular in similar homes and align your place with buyers’ needs,” she says.

“Think of your home’s price point and work towards it. That will help you avoid overcapitalising.”

What not to do

We’re all individuals and love personalising our living spaces, but it can lead to renovation mistakes.

“Avoid drastic changes like converting a garage into a bedroom,” Callan says. “A future buyer may want the garage space and will factor in the cost of changing it back.”

Similarly, transforming useable spaces can deter buyers, according to Cynthia.

“Unless it’s your forever home, don’t turn popular features like bedrooms and living areas into home theatre rooms,” she says. “They’re expensive to set up and upgrade and may put buyers off one day.”

Making your home too specific to your needs and tastes is another common trap.

“Colour schemes that are hot today may not be in 20 years,” Bronte says. “And closing off your kitchen to suit your cooking style won’t suit future buyers who want open-plan living.”

Another mistake Callan sees is people thinking they need to start renovations from scratch.

“A brand-new kitchen can be a significant cost,” he says. “But often you can install a new benchtop, splashback, paint the cabinetry and replace some fixtures and still get a great result.”

Style right for big returns

When the time comes to sell, the agents agree that engaging a professional stylist to stage your home can pay dividends.

“Renovating for sale is generally about aesthetics,” Bronte says. “Good stylists can make your home look great in photos and highlight its features and functionality.”

Cynthia says styling your home can help paint a picture for the new owner.

“People want a house to feel alive,” she says. “The right furniture and decorations in the right places will help you achieve that.”

Meanwhile, Callan recommends taking a minimalist approach, so the house feels spacious during open inspections.

“If you have 30 people in your house for an open inspection, you don’t want it to feel cramped,” he says.

“Styling your home the right way will give you an edge over your competitors.”

A final tip

Callan, Cynthia and Bronte all agree that the right advice is crucial and going it alone can lead to expensive regrets or money down the drain.

“I see people spending big money on features like plantation shutters before selling,” Cynthia says.

“They may look lovely, but they don’t achieve a financial return. An experienced, knowledgeable agent will help you avoid pitfalls like this.”

Callan says with limited renovation budgets, return on investment is critical.

“I advise clients to aim for a $2 return for every dollar spent,” he says.

“You’d be amazed at how much value you can extract from smaller, targeted upgrades and the right agent can help you with that.”

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Smart products make our lives easier. They recognise our voices, tell us when someone’s at the door, and even alert us when we’re low on milk.

These days, you can also have a smart electricity meter installed at home. These clever devices record your energy use in real time and can even help you reduce your power bills. We speak with RAA Senior Manager of Energy Market Development Kerry Bowles to find out how.

How do smart meters work?

Smart meters record your electricity use in five to 30-minute intervals and send the readings directly to your energy retailer. With a smart meter, you no longer need to wait for your quarterly bill to see how much electricity you’ve used. You can track your energy usage as often as you like, through your retailer’s app, online portal, or regular email updates.

Unlike clock-style meters with a spinning disc, smart meters have a digital display, so they’re more accurate. And because energy retailers can read them remotely, estimated readings are rarely needed. You don’t need to leave your gate unlocked or the dog inside while you wait for an onsite meter read. Smart meters make it faster to arrange power connections and disconnections and to change energy retailers. They also help your electricity supplier detect and fix outages quicker.

How can a smart meter help save money on power bills?

Installing a smart meter won’t automatically save you money if your energy use patterns remain the same. Its cost-saving benefit comes from greater flexibility and control. For example, you can cut costs by accessing time-of-use tariffs, where the price of your electricity changes at various times of the day. SA Power Networks has three separate periods that apply but check with your retailer as it may offer something different:

• Peak, 6am–10am and 3pm–1am: when electricity is most expensive; peak rates usually apply in the evenings from Monday to Friday, when demand is highest
• Off-peak, 1am–6am: when electricity is cheaper, and demand is low
• Solar sponge, 10am–3pm: also known as ‘shoulder’ rates, this is usually the cheapest time to use energy, especially if you have solar.

Tracking your energy use with a smart meter means you can tweak your daily habits to help control your costs. For example, you can run energy-hungry appliances like dishwashers, dryers and washing machines between 10am and 3pm when electricity is cheaper, and the sun shining brightest.

A smart meter will also help you monitor your solar energy system. You can follow how much energy your panels are sending back to the grid and when, so you know you have spare solar energy to use.

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Whether for storing leftovers, wrapping sandwiches or squirting soy sauce on sushi, plastic has become a ubiquitous part of our food and drink consumption habits.

Plastic is convenient and versatile but how we produce, use and discard it causes immense harm to human and animal health – particularly marine life – and other ecosystems.

Plastics break down into microplastics and release toxic, carcinogenic chemicals into food and water sources and the air we breathe. It’s why Earth Day 2024 in April focused on plastic’s environmental damage and called for significant reductions in the world’s plastic production and use.

Plastic and public attitudes

The message about the dangers of plastic appears to be getting through. A recent YouGov survey found that 78 per cent of Australians are concerned about the use of plastic in Australia. At 81 per cent, even more are worried about plastic use globally.

The survey found that 71 per cent of Aussies carry reusable shopping bags and 51 per cent carry a reusable bottle or cup. More on the reusable cups a bit later.

South Australia’s war on single-use plastics

In 2020, the South Australian Parliament legislated a staged ban on single-use plastics – the first of its kind in Australia. We no longer see items on sale like plastic straws, pizza savers and cutlery. One of the products to be banned in the next phase on 1 September 2024 is single-use plastic beverage cups and lids, such as takeaway coffee cups.

You may have noticed recently that your takeaway coffee is often in a plant-based compostable cup, which can be placed in the organics waste bin. It’s a big improvement but their production still consumes energy and resources. The good news is there’s an even better way.

What’s this simple step we mentioned?

If you have some time up your sleeve, why not sit down and enjoy your coffee at the cafe? You can relax and get ready for your day ahead, or read the paper, and not have to use a cup that’ll end up in the bin.

If you’re in a hurry, bring along a reusable cup for when you order your favourite brew. Reusable coffee cups are readily available, and you can buy one for a few dollars or opt for a fancier, leakproof version.

RAA Sustainability Specialist Lisa Hall says reusable coffee cups are a simple way to reduce waste and do our bit for the environment.

“Many cafes encourage you to bring your own cup and you can even keep a collapsible version in your car or bag as a backup,” she says.

Other ways to reduce your plastic use

It’s easier than you might think to reduce your plastic use at home and taking reusable grocery bags is now part of the supermarket ritual. But don’t ruin your good intentions at the produce aisle. Avoid buying fruit and veg pre-packed in plastic; it’s better, and cheaper, to select them yourself and place them in a reusable produce bag.

“Buying everyday products like shampoo and detergent in bulk and refilling them is a simple way to reduce plastic,” Lisa says. “You can also buy loose food like nuts and rice without plastic, either at your local supermarket or bulk food store.”

“If you need single-use items, choose non-plastic, compostable alternatives wherever possible. Look out for the certified compostable icon on the packaging.”

Check here for more ideas on reducing your plastic use.

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