When it comes to adding value to a home that is about to be sold, people tend to focus on the big renovations – the extensions, interior décor overhauls, and complete garden jobs which really ramp up that curb appeal. This is all very well, andin the majority of cases, is a solid way to seriously boost the value of a home. However, what is often forgotten is that the smaller home improvements also prove to be serious value boosters – or at least more so than you would initially think.
CityHome Collective, a real estate brokerage out of Utah, offer a good example of how focusing on one small home improvement can boost value far in advance of the amount spent on the improvement itself. This is the front door. As part of the first impression that potential buyers make (as well as an essential part of a home’s curb appeal) the front door of a property is actually massively important to the value. Get it right, and value is boosted; get it wrong and it is actively slashed. There are many more examples of this, one of them being the stair railings your home features.
Why Buyers Care About Railings
It would be wrong to say that the railings make up part of the first impression that a home has on potential buyers, but it is certainly the first impression that a whole other part of a property makes on buyers. As potential buyers ascend the staircase to the second floor of your home, the railings are there alongside them. This might sound somewhat fanciful, but the data does indeed show that railings can be a serious value booster.
And more than just that, railings are typically seen from the main landing or open plan space of a property’s ground floor. They are also one of the physically largest parts of that same space. It would be a mistake to think that railings cannot make or spoil the impression that is given by your home after a potential buyer walks through the front door. After the stairs themselves, your stair railings are the most important part of whatever staircase installation a property has. And the best part is that a stair railing upgrade is a relatively inexpensive way of upgrading your home and boosting its value.
Ideas for Stair Railing Upgrades
Just like everything else in the world of interior design, there are styles and fashions which are “in” and those which are “out”. You should always defer to the advice of a local and professional realtor, but here are some stair railing ideas that are currently increasing the value of homes across the country.
Wood Stair Railings
These are most associated with older properties and might even take the form of a renovation of an existing staircase. Nevertheless, wood stair railings can be tastefully integrated into even the most modern of interior décor schemes.
Simple Stair Railings
While wood stair railings can look antique and ornamental, stair railings that value minimalism are all but necessary to complete the look of any spacious and light-filled modern home design.
Iron and Wood Railings
These railings steer something of a middle course between spartan modernist railings and the more traditional designs. Accordingly, they work with almost any design scheme. All you need to make sure of is that the paint job matches the overall style.
To make a winningfirst impression on viewers of your property, stair railings should never be ignored. Like the front door, they add a great deal more value than most people would expect.