Up Your Property Value With a Decent Toilet

It may come as a surprise, but when prospective buyers look round a property, the bathroom can make or break a sale.

Whilst the living room, bedrooms, and kitchen are all still important, an attractive modern toilet and bathroom can help you sell your property faster, and allow you to push up your asking price.

So what is it about the bathroom that’s so important to prospective buyers, and what can you do to increase the value of yours?

We asked a local Estate Agent what he thought.

“I’ve been in the property business for years now, and I can’t stress the importance of an attractive bathroom when you’re selling your property enough”, he says.

“I’ve seen buyers walk around a property excited and motivated, until they got to the bathroom. Once they were met with an old, grubby, and faded suite their enthusiasm soon evaporated.”

But couldn’t buyers just put in a new bathroom themselves?

“Absolutely. There’s nothing to stop a property buyer putting in a new bathroom when they take over the property, but what some sellers don’t realise is a new bathroom can increase the value of a home more than any other room in the property” he says.

So what makes a bathroom attractive to buyers?

“I think the first thing people see is what’s on the walls. Do you have wallpaper or tiles? Are they clean or watermarked?
Nothing looks worse in a bathroom that grubby stained tiles. If you’re thinking of selling it’s well worth thinking about a complete retile. If you wanted to save some money at least ensure any broken tiles are replaced, and existing tiles are clean and polished”, he says.

“The next thing you need to pay attention to is your suite. How old is it, and what condition is it in?

Just like the tiles, some property owners allow their bath and toilet to get in a state. It really puts prospective buyers off, and doesn’t do anything for your asking price. You can find nice modern bathroom suites with a bath, basin, and toilet at very affordable prices. In many cases you’ll recoup your costs in increased property value.”

What If You Can’t Afford a New Suite?

“If you’d rather not spend money buying a new suite for your bathroom, make sure what you have is spotless. That means making sure you have no water marks, and that your toilet looks and smells fresh”, he explains.

“Whilst a new suite isn’t necessary, a newly fitted, retiled bathroom will help you command a better asking price versus a bathroom that looks old”, he continues.

So if you pay a little more attention to your bathroom, you could make more from the sale of your home.

Let’s summarise what he told us, so you can put his advice into action.

Look at the condition of your walls

Retiling or repainting will give you the best results, but if you don’t want the hassle be sure to thoroughly clean what you already have.

Get a modern suite

Whilst you could just freshen up the bathroom suite you already have, a brand new fitted bath, basin, and toilet will make your home far more desirable to potential buyers.

Make sure it’s clean

Regardless of how old your bathroom is, make sure it’s always clean and fresh, especially when you have people coming to view the property.

The good news is you don’t have to spend a fortune on a new bathroom suite, and with property buyers paying close attention to the bathroom, a little investment will be worthwhile.