One of the biggest misconceptions I come across when helping sellers is the idea that anything you spend money on will add value to your home. Not quite.

There's a really important difference between adding value to your property and increasing the final sale price—and knowing which is which can save you a lot of time, money, and stress when preparing to sell.

So, What Is Adding Value?

When we talk about "adding value," we're talking about changes that would actually increase the Home Report valuation—that is, what your property is worth on paper, to surveyors and lenders.

In most cases, this means:

  • Adding usable square footage (like a loft conversion or an extension)

  • Improving energy efficiency (new windows, boiler upgrades, insulation)

  • Fixing structural issues or improving layout

These kinds of changes shift the baseline value of your home, and that will be reflected in the survey.

What About Increasing the Final Sale Price?

Now, increasing the final sale price is a different beast altogether.

This is where presentation, marketing, and buyer psychology come into play. You might not add value, but you can definitely make your home more desirable, which can encourage buyers to offer over the Home Report value—especially in a competitive area.

Here’s what helps push up that final price:

  • Great staging and styling

  • A proper declutter (seriously—it works)

  • Quality marketing and photography

  • Creating demand through pricing strategy and closing dates

Even something like a fresh coat of paint or tidying up the garden might not affect the valuation, but it absolutely influences buyer perception—and that can mean higher offers.

What Doesn’t Add Value (But Might Help You Sell for More)

This is where it gets a bit tricky. Take kitchens, for example.

A lot of people assume that putting in a brand-new kitchen will add value. Truth is, it usually doesn't—at least not enough to recover the full cost. But if it's well done and suits the style of the home, it might help push up the final sale price because it makes the property more appealing to buyers.

Same goes for bathrooms, fancy lighting, garden landscaping—great for marketing, great for appeal, but not necessarily value-adding on a valuation report.

My Advice

Before you spend thousands on upgrades thinking it will boost your home's value, it’s worth getting some tailored advice.

As an estate agent working in East Lothian, I can help you figure out:

  • And how to strike the right balance between cost, value, and impact

  • What’s actually worth doing

  • What buyers in your area really care about

If you're thinking about selling and wondering what will give you the best return, I’m always happy to pop by and give you honest, no-pressure advice.

Sometimes it's not about spending more—it’s about knowing where to spend smarter.