“You never get a second chance to make a first impression” This quote by Will Rogers is certainly true when it comes to selling your house. When we are house hunting, how the house looks from the outside is often very important even though we spend most of our time inside the property so we aren’t actually looking at the outside very much ourselves.
We want to feel proud of our homes when we arrive home at the end of a day’s work, we may even want visitors to be impressed when they draw up outside.
So it’s important that the exterior of your property creates a great first impression both from the photos when people are searching online and when they actually arrive for a physical viewing. Bear in mind that when people are looking on the property portals the first image that you see is likely to be an image of the exterior of your property and if they aren’t impressed then they might not bother to click through to see the other photos or find out more about the property.
In this blog I offer my top tips for creating kerb appeal.
The Approach
If people have to walk or drive to get to the front door of the property (whether along a driveway or path) then this needs to be attractive. Think about the structure of the approach is it well maintained does the surface need repairing or cleaning? Certainly one of the drawbacks of slabs or block paving is that you get weeds growing in between the paving slabs or blocks and if they aren’t weed free they look shabby and as if they haven’t been looked after. I often say that it isn’t necessarily the actual repair that puts people off, it’s the concern that minor disrepair may be a symptom of more more lack of maintenance.
The drive may benefit from power washing. If it’s a path there is also the issue of safety, could the surface represent a trip or slip hazard? Consider whether there are shrubs or trees lining the route that need cutting back, you don’t want viewers to have to fight their way through the undergrowth.
The Property
Again maintenance of the exterior of your property is very important so take a good look is the woodwork in good condition and guttering functioning? It might be that wood work such as windows, fascias etc are in need of attention. Even if your woodwork is in good condition or if it’s UPVC, it’s a good idea to give everything a good clean, it is amazing how dirty these areas can get. One excellent tip for improving your property’s kerb appeal if you have a wooden front door is to paint it. You can have fun researching appropriate colours for the period of your property, look at images of similar styles of property to yours for inspiration. At the same time it’s worth investing in new door furniture i.e. door knockers, letterboxes etc these can easily become shabby as a result of weathering. Don’t neglect to clean your windows. Not only will this improve the appearance of your property but having clean windows will improve the amount of light that comes into your property through them. If you don’t already employ a window cleaner it’s worth doing so for the duration your property is on the market and if you feel uncomfortable about the fact that this may be only for one or two visits then you can easily explain to the window cleaner and maybe offer to leave their details for the new owners.
The Finishing Touches
Once you’ve dealt with the practicalities it’s now time to turn to add those finishing touches which really make the frontage of your property appeal. I have already mentioned painting the front door and replacing door furniture. Add greenery in the form of either shrubs or planters to flank the front door. These are a great way to add some colour and make your property stand out. It could be lanterns or an exterior light which can be used to add interest as well as being practical because it’s important to remember that prospective buyers may view in the evening. Consider adding lighting or planting along the edge of the driveway or path.
So make sure that when people first see your property whether it’s online or in person that they get that wow factor feel and want to walk through the front door. If you need help with the kerb appeal when selling your property then call me now on 07745 876182 or email me at judith@homestyle4u.com. I cover the Wirral, Cheshire, North Wales and the North West
