Take a look at your neighbourhood and the
houses within it. Are the houses very similar,
with "cookie-cutter" designs? Are there
restrictions by the developer or builder
regarding structure design? Since renovating
the home will affect the home's resale value,
the type of area you currently live in could
affect your decision. The question is, how
much? A kitchen is a low-risk renovation
because it adds to the resale value, however, a
basement may take longer to sell.

Sometimes all it takes to change your mind set of a property is some simple
redecoration. What about replacing the flooring throughout your home?
Perhaps exchanging your tired-looking carpet for beautiful, glossy laminate
flooring or laying thick shaggy rugs, or wonderful, warm carpets in bedrooms?
For a fraction on the cost of moving you could find yourself making a house a
home in no time.

Scan papers and online to see what similar
properties are on the market for. Consider them
as a benchmark for the sale of your home and
weigh up the amount you realistically want to
spend – there's no point spending extortionate
amounts on a renovation you're only planning on
staying in for the next 5 years if you know there's
no chance of reaping your costs back.

It's a fact that most families spend a huge percentage of
time in the kitchen. If you're bored of looking at the same
old tired cupboards but haven't a huge budget to play with
why not keep the carcasses and simply replace the doors?
You can often find great 'end of line' styles that are under
half the cost!

Annoyingly, as with most things, money really
does play a huge part in your relocation v's
renovation decision. If you choose to renovate ask
yourself "how much am I willing to spend" and if
you're planning to relocate make sure you've
looked at all the costs involved so you don't find
yourself struggling as the invoices roll in. Stamp
duty, estate agent fees, survey's and solicitor's fees
all add up to a hefty sum; and, because you're
buying and selling, it will be for two transactions.
Is this amount greater than the cost of renovation?
If so, renovation may be the better choice.

Utilise expert advice. Whether you decide to stay
or leave, make sure you get the very best advice
to ensure you make a decision you can live with.

Always seek legal advice before signing a contract
for the sale, purchase or extension of a house.

If you're planning on extending or want to examine the potential for extension
on a future property, an initial consultation with an architect is essential.
Engineers will give you an idea as to how much your project will cost, building
alternatives, a time frame, and even if it will meet council regulations before
expensive architectural plans are drawn.

You may want to make a clinical decision about
whether to stay or leave, but allow a little time to
consider your current circumstances. What's the
neighbourhood like? Do you get on with your
neighbours? Would you miss the close-knit
community and how would your children feel
about moving to a completely different setting? It's
important to be practical but it's also important to
pay some attention to your social situation. After
all, good friends and neighbours are hard to find.

Renting but want to get on the housing ladder?
The government is offering lots of schemes to help first
time buyers or those on lower incomes get on the property
ladder. For more information on Shared Ownership /
Shared Equity log on to:
http://www.shared-ownership.org.uk/