Over the past few weeks, I’ve shared some tips and techniques on how to renovate and refurbish your property without spending a fortune.

So far, we’ve looked at kitchens, bathrooms and floor coverings…and today, I’ll discuss window coverings and outdoor entertainment areas.

Window coverings are something that many people under-rate when it comes to presenting your home for sale.

If you have a look at many properties for sale, you’ll often see instances where kitchens, bathrooms, floors, walls and everything else has been updated but if the windows are still decorated with heavy drapes or dated curtains, the entire property can still feel a little tired.

There’s no question that something like white Plantation Shutters are attractive and like hardwood timber floors, they are almost always universally adored by buyers – but they are pretty expensive.

If you have an upmarket home you’re about to list for sale, there’s every chance that Plantation Shutters may be a good investment but if you’re selling a property that’s a lot cheaper, installing these shutters would probably be overkill.

A great alternative is white ‘Shutter Style’ blinds that look quite similar but can be purchased at a fraction of the cost.

Roller blinds do have a fabulous modern feel to them, but I can tell you from an agent’s point of view, they don’t assist with creating the best feel for a room.

If the blinds are completely closed, the room will often feel dark but if they’re open and allow the natural light to enter, they don’t offer much privacy.

Because of this, I’d steer clear of them if you possibly can…despite the fact they are pretty cheap to install.

Curtains have a similar look to them and again, it’s hard to find the right balance between privacy and natural light but using soft sheers can be an effective compromise.

We’d almost always recommend removing any heavy drapes or curtains that may have looked quite elegant in the day but in today’s day and age, the word ‘elegant’ isn’t really what buyers are searching for…even buyers that may be a little more mature.

You’d be surprised how many people renovate and window coverings are the last thing that they were considering…and if the budget runs out, they’re the first thing to be eliminated from the list.

We’ve seen plenty of buyers that are weighing up a purchase of several properties and end up choosing an alternate property based upon the fact that there’s no window coverings in one of them so it’s important that you consider this prior to listing your property for sale.

Outdoor entertainment areas are a quintessential part of a Queensland property given our weather and love of the sunshine and fresh air in this glorious part of the world.

Our first piece of advice if you are looking at outdoor entertainment areas is simply to have one…and one that’s covered.

Whilst it might be nice to sit under the stars with a glass of wine and star-gaze, buyers won’t be thinking about this – they’ll be thinking about trying to cook a BBQ in the blazing hot sun on a forty degree Summer’s afternoon and being sunburnt whilst they swelter in the heat (and if you’re like me, easily being sun-burnt in the process).

A shade sail can be an alternative and the good part about shade sails is that they don’t require local Council approvals but in a lot of cases, it’s far better to look at installing a pergola roof that offers all-year round weather protection.

There are few instances where the investment of a pergola roof would be unwise so if you’re considering selling, this is something that we’d definitely recommend for obtaining sound advice.

Shade sails can be a great alternative over a pool (or partially covering a pool that is entirely exposed to the Western sun in an afternoon and if you think that many buyers won’t consider this, think again because the vast majority of buyers consider the effects of the afternoon sun on a property when making their decisions.

Should your outdoor entertainment face West, we would strongly recommend a drop-down blind or perhaps an electric blind to shield you from this Western sun…and whilst this might seem like an unnecessary expense, you’d be surprised how hard it is to sell a property that offers little protection in an outdoor area from a Summer’s afternoon sun.

Hopefully, there’s a few tips here that you can find useful.

Next week, I’ll share some ideas on undercover car accommodation and driveways.

We hope you’re enjoying your short week and if you’re in the Brisbane City Council limits, we hope you’re having a lovely public holiday today.

Until next week…Happy Renovating, Happy Listing & Happy Selling.