How to create kerb appeal when selling your home.

When you are selling your home, first impressions really do count.   A well presented exterior makes a huge difference to creating an initial impression of a house which is cared for and well maintained and it is often an area which can be improved without spending a fortune.  It also seems to be one of the most overlooked areas where small improvements can have a huge impact.  Have a look at our top 5 areas where you can improve your home’s kerb appeal and create a great first impression.

Front Door

Give your front door a spruce up – peeling paint, cracked glass and corroded door furniture is a real turn off for viewers.  Repainting a door in a new contemporary colour can make a huge difference to the look and feel of a house.  If your door furniture is looking tired, try giving it a clean with some metal cleaner to restore its shine or consider replacements if the finish is damaged or corroded.   Make sure that your doorbell is working and consider adding a new name plate or house numbers to your door for a stylish finishing touch.

Windows

As with your door, windows are really key to the look and feel of a property and often give a property it’s personality.  If you have timber or metal windows, make sure your paintwork is up to scratch and give them a lick of paint if they need it, try using a colour to complement or contrast with your door for a more contemporary look. If your windows are UPVC, give the frames a good clean with a specialist cleaner and get rid of any dust or cobwebs.  Cleaning the glass outside and in is also well worth doing and as well as making your outside look cleaner and brighter, it also helps to maximise light internally.

Garden

Front gardens are often the most overlooked of spaces but can be a massive asset to create an appealing exterior.  A low maintenance approach works well in a front garden. Make sure grass is cut and paths, drives and gravelled areas are weed free.  A lawn always looks better with well defined edges, an edging tool is a quick and simple way to neaten them.  A layer of mulch on flower beds is a good way of keeping weeds to a minimum. If you have room, add some planters to your front entrance.  Evergreen shrubs like box in simple terracotta pots always look stylish when placed either side of a front door, or make more of a statement with colourful flowers in pots or hanging baskets.

Paving, Patios and Paths

Refresh gravelled areas with a top up (where does it go?), give paths and slabs a clean with a pressure washer and get rid of any weeds in the paving joints and cracks.  Weeds seem to be able to spring up in the gaps in paving almost overnight in the summer and can quickly make a house look a bit unloved from the outside.  You may find it easier to use weed-killer on larger paved or gravelled areas. Some will keep weeds at bay for a number of weeks.

Clear the clutter

If you have children, chances are your outside spaces are home to a selection of bikes, trikes, scooters and ride-on toys.  Make sure you have adequate storage externally for these to be stowed away out of sight when not in use.   Dustbins and recycling boxes are a fact of life but don’t let them spoil the look of your property from the outside.  Invest in some attractive external storage to hide those necessary but often ugly items from sight.

Spending a bit of money and probably a bit more time and energy on the outside of your house really does pay off when you are looking to sell and is something which can make the difference with a potential buyer’s decision to view internally or not.   For more information and advice on this, or any other aspect of selling your house, get in touch with our knowledgeable team.  We have literally years worth of experience of selling houses and we are always happy to share that experience to get the best results for our clients.