Real Estate Investor Magazine South Africa October/ November 2019 | Page 21

IMPROVING
Five tips to update
your property
How to start renovating your real estate
O
ne of the exciting prospects of owning your own
property, is getting to renovate, update and make
over your property to suit your desired tastes, evolve
with the times and adapt it to trends.
Mike Greeff, CEO of Greeff Christie’s International Real Estate,
advises those thinking of renovating to start small. “If you are
looking at taking on the renovation of your home on your own,
it is best to start small and take on one thing at time, giving it
your undivided attention and utmost care along the way. This
will most certainly work to your benefit and could also act as a
good learning curve for future renovation plans.”
Follow these renovation tips to
make your first-time renovating, a
resounding success:
1
Consult a professional
As this is your first-time renovating, a prudent move
would be consulting with a professional about the
areas you are looking to take on. He or she should be
able to offer you considerable advice on how, when and where
to begin first. Consulting with someone should also be able to
give you an idea on whether your budget set out will be able to
cover all of the expenses you are possibly going to incur.
2
Take on smaller projects first or take
on one big task at a time
Emphasising once again that this is your first
renovation, make a point of it to only take on one
big area at a time or a selection of smaller projects. Doing so
will ensure you are not spread too thin and still have enough
time for other commitments. Look at working on one or two
outdoor areas to work on together which will arguably take up
less of your time altogether. Bigger tasks such as the kitchen or
bathroom should be focused on individually.
3
Look at flooring renovations to bring
about a big change
During renovations, one does not always consider
flooring as a something to be renovated yet doing
so acts as a big change already. Think engineered oak wood
floors, travertine tiles, laminated flooring and porcelain tile as
they all represent great options and will go far to ensuring your
property is left looking brand new.
4
Remember, stay within your budget
Renovating can be a very exciting time and because
of this, it may be easy to get carried away with
expenses where you may want to spend more than
what you have allocated to this renovation project.
It is important to remember that you have budgeted for a set
amount and really should not exceed this amount. Be detailed
in your planning and research the costs of products before
deciding to purchase, this will save you in the long run.
5
Maximise the space you already have
Renovating your property need not be an extreme
task. The key to renovating lies in utilising most of the
resources, space and layout you already have. If your
space is small, look at acquiring furniture that can double up as
a storage item, think ottomans, chests and storage containers
to act as a piece of furniture that could work to your advantage.
Renovation can be made easy, without the hassle and
fuss and your home can be left looking amazing simply by
following these steps.
SOURCE Greef Christie’s International Real Estate
SA Real Estate Investor Magazine OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2019
19