Adding Value: What to do with your spare room?

After over seven years in the biz and viewing thousands of homes across Perth, the one thing most of these houses have in common is the dreaded spare room. Whether it’s used as a storage room, a dormant “guest bedroom” or a home office space piled with filing cabinets and paperwork, often the spare room becomes a dumping ground for clutter and items that don’t fit into the main rooms of the home. 

When it comes time to sell, and you’re trying to guarantee the largest return for your property, it’s all about showcasing value at every turn. And, one of the most popular ways to derive value is in usable spaces. That means it’s time to turn that spare room into a show-stopping space and we’re here to talk you through some of our favourite ways to do this. 

Analysing your floor plan

When it comes to the big decision of what to do with your spare room, we suggest starting with an analysis of your floor plan. What are the current features of your home? How can you add something different to the dynamic of your property to increase its value? For example, if you’re already working with a four bedroom family home, adding a fifth bedroom won’t exactly make much difference. Instead, opt to showcase the room in a completely different way which will help to appeal to a wider range of buyers. 

A Guest Bedroom

The token guest bedroom is always a great place to start if you’ve got a 2 - 4 bedroom home, especially if it happens to have an adjoining bathroom. We suggest using at least a double bed and one bedside table to showcase the room’s size and ability to comfortably sleep guests for more than one night. 

We also think the concept of a sofa bed is a great option as it allows the spare room to pose as a number of different spaces - a second living room or kids rumpus room as well as a place for guests to stay. 

For staging purposes, a guest bedroom is often our go-to option if the property is located in a coastal, riverside, rural or central suburb where the new buyer is likely to host guests in their new home due to it’s convenient or ambient location. 

Gym

Now, this one is a great option! A gymnasium can be seen as such a novelty so showcasing your spare room as a gym will be quick to draw the attention of potential buyers when they’re browsing different listings online. 

But, before you get put off thinking this one is going to cost the Earth, it can actually be quite the budget-friendly option! All you really need is a couple of yoga mats, some dumbbells and an exercise ball to show the intended purpose of the space. And, let's be honest, if you’re anything like us, you’ll most likely have these things hanging around the house already! Of course, if you’ve got the facilities on hand, it’s a great opportunity to move your bench wrack and treadmill from the garage into a new, designated home. 

Home Office

Next up is a home office, particularly if this is lacking from your property’s original floor plan. Over the last 12 - 18 months of the global pandemic we have experienced first hand the difficulty faced when trying to juggle the work / life balance from home, so offering a designated space for work is extremely valuable to buyers at the moment. 

Even if you are lucky enough to already have a study within your floor plan, an additional home office is great for a family home where it can be used for the kids to do their homework without distraction, or similarly, the adults to complete their work away from the noisiness of home life. 

We suggest setting the room up to really show its purpose with a desk, chair, study lamp and, if space allows, a set of shelves or drawers to serve as storage. Whilst this will help potential buyers understand the intention behind the space, it will also help to showcase the size of the room. 

Strategic Storage

Finally, if all else fails, a home can simply never have enough storage space in our eyes so it’s always a good idea to jump at the chance for more! Whether your home lacks sufficient wardrobe space, linen closets, or shelving, there is always a way you can combat these buyer objections proactively. 

Head to IKEA to pick up some cost effective wardrobes, chest of drawers or shelving units to store seasonal clothing, linen, books, appliances or decor items, like family heirlooms, that you're not ready to part with but don’t hold a permanent place in the main living areas of your home. 

Specific storage rooms are especially valuable if you’re in a family home with young children - we’re almost certain you will have boxes and boxes of toys, gadgets and games spread throughout your entire home! Designated a room to all of this will be sure to keep the chaos to a minimum whilst showcasing the room as a playroom. What a win!