How do you add value to an apartment or a house?

How does a property increase in value?

Buying real estate can be a profitable investment as long as the apartment or house increases in value over time.

First of all, the value of a property changes up or down depending on external factors, such as:

1. The evolution of the real estate market: according to INSEE, the price of real estate increased by 30% between 2013 and 2023
2. Real estate tension in the geographical area where the property is located: in some popular neighborhoods, the supply is lower than the number of interested buyers, driving up the price per square meter.

However, the characteristics of a property also have a major influence on its market value. An owner has several ways to Increase the real estate value of your apartment or house :

1. Improving the Energy Performance Diagnosis
2. Renovate or optimize important rooms
3. Improving interior decoration and layout
4. Add unique amenities
5. Expand the surface of the property

In general, buy a property with work to carry out is a good strategy because renovation allows to rapidly increase its real estate value. But it is still necessary to properly assess the amount of work so that it can be amortized by the gain made on resale.

That you want buy your main residence or sell your home to buy another, it is important to learn to appreciate the real estate value of a property based on its assets and faults. This makes it possible to buy at the right price and to evaluate the Value that you can give to the property by carrying out work.

At Maison Kyka, we specialize in the purchase and renovation of real estate. By signing with us a research mandate, you are supported by a project manager trained by interior designers in order to quickly find the property of your dreams, i.e. the one that meets your criteria and that can gain a lot of value after the completion of renovation work.

After finalizing the purchase of your property, our interior design studio takes care of the work to offer you a turnkey renovation, ranging from architectural design to room furnishings. If a few years later, you want to resell your property, we can take care of it because we are in the best position to sell a property that we have renovated at the best price.

“From the search for the property (a 5-legged sheep we had so many criteria) to the completion of the work until the final delivery (on time!!!) everything went very well. The team was very supportive, a high quality architect (attentive and with excellent advice). And above all a better apartment than we expected. I recommend Maison Kyka”
Amine Achite

1. Increase the value of a property by improving its energy performance

The DPE is a mandatory real estate diagnosis that analyzes the quality of insulation and the energy consumption of a home. Due to an increase in energy prices and a collective awareness of the ecological challenges of our time, buyers are more and more sensitive to the energy performance of a home. In 2023, the price per square meter of the most energy-consuming goods, i.e. those associated with an F or G label, was 10% lower than the average market price (source: study by Guy Hoquet).

This is why at Maison Kyka, we pay particular attention to properties whose DPE can be improved by one or two levels through renovation work.

For example, to improve the DPE of a house or apartment and increase its value, you can:

• Install double-glazed windows,
• Improve the insulation of the floor, walls, attics etc...
• Install an efficient heating system (e.g. pellet boiler, heat pump, etc.)
• Install radiating panel or inertia radiators,
• Install a dual-flow VMC,
• Install solar panels to supply the home with renewable energy.

To help homeowners improve the energy performance of their house or apartment, financial assistance exists. For example, homes built more than 15 years ago are eligible for the MaPrimeRénov system. The amount of assistance depends on the amount of work and the income of the owners.

In addition, the zero-rate eco-loan (eco-PTZ) is another device accessible without resource conditions and can be combined with MaPrimeRénov. This interest-free loan makes it possible to finance the one-off or global renovation of a home, up to a limit of €50,000.

2. Renovate and optimize the layout of important rooms

It is possible to considerably increase the value of a home by optimizing the layout of the available space or by renovating certain central rooms.

While shoppers' expectations vary, buyers often place particular importance on the condition of the kitchen and bathroom. When visiting a house or an apartment, some buyers may be disappointed when they discover a (too) small independent kitchen or an outdated bathroom.

Indeed, the renovation or reorganization of these technical rooms can be long and expensive, which can discourage buyers who prefer to buy a comfortable property in which they can move in without doing any work (even if it means investing more money).

In some cases, it is not necessary to completely renovate the main rooms of your property. Here are some examples of work that can give more value to housing:

• Break the partition that separates the kitchen from the dining room or living room in order to expand the living space in the heart of the home,
• Expand the kitchen worktop
• Replace the vanity unit in the bathroom

Finally, if you want to increase the value of your home, you can also consider arranging the garage or the attic, dividing the largest rooms so that you can create another bathroom or additional bedrooms.

A total renovation is the best way to value a property because it makes it possible to create a global coherence typical of exceptional properties (highly sought after on the market). By calling on Maison Kyka, our interior designer studio helps you to reveal the potential of your home by optimizing the available space as much as possible.

You hesitate between buying a new or old property ? With Maison Kyka, you will enjoy the charm of the old and after the work, all the modern comforts.

“A big thank you for your support. I immediately felt confident and understood my needs and expectations. Congratulations to the whole team for listening, your availability and meeting deadlines, which was very important for me. I am delighted with the final result: thank you very much.”
Murielle Bardoux

3. Improve the interior decoration of the property

Sometimes it is not necessary to undertake work to add value to real estate. A few targeted adjustments can significantly improve the attractiveness of an apartment or house in the eyes of potential buyers.

A simple and economical solution is to refresh the cleanliness or interior decoration of the home so that it looks its best during visits. Americans call this technique “home staging.”

Concretely, the idea is to remove superficial defects that can catch the eye of buyers and tarnish their image of the home. This can be caused by few things: inadequate lighting, a bad smell, traces of dirt, bulky furniture...

For improve the value of your home at a lower cost, you can for example:

• Clean or change bathroom joints,
• Repaint the tiles in the kitchen or bathroom with a suitable paint,
• Repaint the walls or ceiling in some rooms,
• Move or store some furniture in order to provide access to more living space,
• Free up the space around the windows to let in as much light as possible.

There are lots of ways to beautify and to increase the value of an apartment or a house without breaking the bank. However, keep an eye on your budget so that the sum of these small refreshments remains profitable. The key is to find the right compromise between the added value of the adjustments to be made and their price.

4. Add unique amenities to your property

To maximize the value of your property, you can add amenities that create a real living experience and generate a “real estate crush”. Buyers are often seduced by elements that are out of the ordinary, even if they are not essential to the functioning of a home. These extra touches can help your property stand out in the real estate market.

For example, the window in an attic apartment can be transformed into a balcony thanks to a velux balcony window. A detail that may appeal to many buyers who want access to the outside.

Even better, you can opt for more luxurious facilities like:

• a swimming pool,
• a shower/steam room,
• underfloor heating,
• a home automation system that makes your home “smart”.

These conveniences increase the comfort of the home and make increase the perceived value of your property.

5. Expand the living area or be authorized to make extensions

Living space is a key criterion in the valuation of real estate. Extending your home can thus generate a significant increase in its value because beyond the perceived value, the price of a home depends above all on its living space. However, keep in mind that property tax will increase in proportion to the area added.

For example, you can increase the living area of your home by:

• The construction of a garage,
• The layout of the attic,
• The transformation of a cellar to create a souplex,
• The elevation of an apartment located on the top floor,
• Installing a mezzanine in a room.

In order to enlarge the surface of a property, certain authorizations must be obtained. In areas covered by a Local Urban Plan (PLU), a prior declaration is sufficient for extensions of less than 40 m², unless your property exceeds 150 m² after work. In the absence of a PLU, a building permit is required for any extension of more than 20 m².

That said, obtaining a permit for construction or transformation can also add value to your property, even if the work has not yet been completed. A building permit or the approval of a project by a condominium remains attached to the property and can appeal to buyers looking for a property to renovate. For example, permission to divide a house into several apartments or to transform a garage into a home can significantly increase the attractiveness of a property.