Increase Your Properties Curb Appeal
First impressions most definitely count.
Before a potential buyer has the chance to even step inside your door, there are plenty of features that they will, consciously or subconsciously, notice about your home. And trust in the fact that it will make a difference to their overall impression of your home.
So, what can you do to increase the ‘curb appeal’ of your home? Of course there are various developments that are sure to make a big difference, but if you don’t want to start digging up driveways and knocking down walls, then we’ve got the info you need. Factors that will less than impress viewers are:
Run-down driveways
On the approach to most homes, the driveway is seen before anything else. With this in mind it’s important to make sure it doesn’t look shabby and uncared for, as this will be your potential buyers very first impression. So if your drive could look a bit brighter, give it some TLC – whether this means a re-coat or simply scraping all the stones into place.
Peeling paint
Cracking paint is not a good idea and will nearly always cause your home to look tatty. Be sure to check all the paint on the outside of your home, be it the walls, window frames, or front door. Try to treat the underlying cause, for example moisture, and then repaint. Be aware that if using the same tin of paint as was first used – it is likely to have changed colour due to ageing.
Encrusted dirt
The majority of people notice really dirty areas wherever they go. However, it is easy to overlook it on your own home simply because you’re so used to seeing it. Keeping the front of your home clean is a simple and basic process, and failure to do so may result in potential buyers feeling that your home is not looked after. Get it sorted!
Dirty windows
When looking out for dirt, don’t forget the windows. Give the inside a thorough clean, then give the local window cleaner a call to do the outside. Gleaming windows will be a real benefit to your home when trying to sell.
Worn-out Lawns
A bare lawn can give an unlooked after feel, and the more space a lawn takes up, the more this rings true. This doesn’t mean however, that smaller lawns can be forgotten about. If your lawn needs reseeding, it’s fairly easy to do yourself. Simply rake the lawn to make bare spots more visible, loosen the soil in said bare spots, sprinkle the areas with lawn fertilizer, then reseed sparingly by hand. Choose a seed suitable for the area you’re working on by taking into consideration if it’s a sunny or shady spot.
Overgrown plants and weeds
Can’t see the front door for all the overgrown plants? Is there barely a pavement outside your home due to weeds? If you have these, or any other plant-related overgrowths, all it will take is a little bit of weed-killer, some uprooting, and a bit of time and you’re house will look instantly better.
Non-existent fences
You may not mind that your neighbours can see you sunbathing, but you can bet that someone else will. So get a fence up, or get the holes fixed in the one you’ve got.
Rickety Sheds
So, you’ve freshened up the outside of your home, but what about your shed? If your shed sits next to your house, leaving it tatty creates an eyesore and will damage the first impressions of any potential buyers. If it’s a structurally sound shed, then all it will probably need is a paint job. However, if it’s starting to fall apart then take it down or get a new one.
Grimy gutters
You know what we mean, all that sludge that staining your walls. The most likely reason for this is blocked gutters – we recommend getting them professionally cleaned. This will save you time, effort, and reduces the risk of accidents.
Lack of light on dark nights
If someone is visiting your home at night, they won’t necessarily feel safe walking down a dark driveway of somewhere they don’t know. And the general feeling a person gets about a place counts for a lot, so install a security light which will be activated whenever it senses movement.
By Katie Silcox @ Sky Property
