Is Brexit a good time to invest?

5th September 2016

Is Brexit a good time to invest?

 

Craig Smith, Managing Director Copperfield Windows, explains why ‘Brexit’ makes it the right time to invest in home improvements.  

 

According to a recent study by Plentific following the Brexit vote, one in 10 homeowners are now more likely to consider home improvements instead of selling, with 12 per cent of homeowners a lot less likely to move within the next 3 year period.

 

When it comes to the housing market people tend to become in touch with a 'wait and see what happens’ approach. In reality laws of supply and demand make a crash very unlikely – we do not have enough affordable houses.

 

But biding your time and taking advantage of the record low Bank of England base rate, makes a lot of sense right now.

 

Investing in home improvements will increase the value of your house rather than the legal fees that go with moving could help you cash-in in the long run.

 

New windows and doors will give your home kerb appeal when you do come to sell but will also make it more energy efficient in the long run, which means the longer you stay the more you save.

What if you have a growing family and need more space? Home improvements could be a better option.

 

Anything at the top or the bottom of your property is going to cost a typical loft extension costs between £30,000 and £60,000, adding space by digging into a basement if you have one is even more - £300 to £400 per square foot of accommodation.

 

And the space you get isn’t always as functional as you may have hoped for. Lofts were not designed to live in. It is very noisy as there is not much to insulate you from the outside. Also, hot air rises, so even if you have got brilliant insulation, the heat collected by your property during the day will usually collect on the top floor.

 

Ground level additions to your home tend to work best from a practical perspective. Filling in a side return can give you new space for a kitchen without encroaching too far into your garden. But be creative – home improvements go a lot futher than brickwork.

 

New high spec conservatories, sun rooms and orangeries are giving homeowners a much more comfy all year round living space. Forget your image of the traditional mock Victorian conservatory where you shivered in winter and boiled throughout the summer.

Energy efficient and even self-cleaning glass means that new glass extensions can be used for a host of different uses, for example for use as dining room, sitting room, home office or even gym. We can also install free-standing garden and sun rooms away from the main property to create an enviable commute to the office!

 

There are also a number of alternative options including the addition of an atrium or ‘lantern’ roof to a ‘traditional’ brick extension, plus ancillary products, for example bi-folding doors, that when retracted can open whole facades to the great outdoors.

 

A recent study based on calculations by Nationwide Building Society found that a home extension could increase a properties worth by 22 per cent or £42,700.

 

Moreover, the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors suggests that the addition of a conservatory or orangery will increase the value of your property by around five per cent, delivering the great return on investment of almost any home improvement.

 

Brexit raises a number of uncertainties, so an element of caution is sensible but with low costs of borrowing and lots of options to increase the value of your home, bricks and mortar remain a safe place to put your money.

 

Email admin.copperfield@btconnect.com or call 02476 452688 to find out more.  

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