Using the summer heat to boost your property value

Hot days, balmy nights, swimming in the water and barbecues with friends; summer has a lot going for it. But those gorgeous bright days can also bring stifling heat, extra costs for air conditioning and plenty of insects.

The hot months can be horrible and lovely all at the same time, but many people forget that a few simple improvements can ease off the summer difficulties as well as help boost the value of your home. Whether you’re on your first home loan or you’re moving somewhere new, boosting your property value is always a no-brainer.

For whatever reason you want to cool off, here are just a few select ways to improve your summer as well as your market value!

The summer is an opportunity for home development as well as adventure.

Insulate or evacuate

When you think of insulation, you may automatically think of keeping snug in winter, but it also helps you keep comfortable in summer. Environment Victoria describes how ceiling insulation in particular can help cut your energy use by up to 45 per cent. Keep your cool, pay fewer bills, get an extra selling point for your home – what’s not to love?

Praise the sun

It’s summer, the power of solar is one of its defining features, so why not utilise some of that raw heat beating down on your roof to help supply  your home with electricity or heat your water? There is a wide range of ways to utilise solar power, from simple heat-absorbing water pipes to the well-known photovoltaic panels.

Much like insulation, this simple green installation is low-maintenance, helps keep your power costs down and 85 per cent of Australians believe that solar panels add to the value of a home, according to realestate.com.au.

Open plan isn’t a sham

Don’t worry, you don’t always need to knock down any walls! Removing internal doors or replacing them with sliding ones can turn your home into a perfect area for passive cooling. This simply means that the cold air (your best friend in the summer heat) is more easily able to pass through your house, dragging the hot air away with it.

Perhaps you want to go the extra mile and remove some walls: be sure to check out a range of construction loans to see how far you can take your design.

Open plan is also a very popular aesthetic choice, and gives a home a very modern look, so you may find that the temperature relief also results in your home getting hot on the market!