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Getting Your Home Ready For Sale: 12 Ways To Give The Exterior Instant Curb Appeal

Posted 9 December 2022 by Keith Osborne

You’ll need to wow prospective buyers from the moment they set eyes on your property...

Getting a home ready for sale can feel like a never-ending task, but it is essential to present your house well to find a buyer. This means making both the interior and the exterior look their very best. The exterior can be overlooked in the rush to fix up the interior of your home, but it is crucial that you spend time on the exterior to increase curb appeal.

Curb appeal refers to how a property looks when someone first approaches it. Essentially, it is the first impression that people get of your home, and everyone knows how important first impressions can be. You’ll need to wow prospective buyers from the moment they set eyes on your property.

Keep the lawn well-manicured

It goes without saying that your lawns should be well-kept and maintained throughout the selling process. It could be a good idea to have the lawn professionally manicured initially and then go on to maintain it yourself. During the summer months, you should mow the grass twice per week, while over winter, you can typically leave the grass for more extended periods.

Clear away any clutter

Clutter can often give visitors a poor first impression of a property, whether inside or out. Clutter in the home’s exterior could come from toys left in the garden or overcrowding of garden features and accessories. It is a good idea to ensure that the kids put away their toys after each use to save you from rushing around clearing up before a viewing. You should also look at your garden accessories with a critical eye and remove a few if they make the garden look too crowded.

Move the bins

Many people keep their bins somewhere on their driveway for convenience, which can instantly lower curb appeal. Whenever you have a viewing, make sure to move the bins somewhere they can’t be seen when visitors approach. Putting them in a garage or behind a garden gate can be ideal, or you could invest in some outdoor bin storage.

Give the windows and doors a thorough clean

Cleaning is one of the most basic and essential things to do before having a viewing of your property. This is as true for the outside as it is for the inside. Windows and doors can quickly accumulate dirt and grime from being exposed to the elements. Consider hiring cleaners who will be able to do a thorough job of cleaning doors and windows without leaving streaks and who have experience climbing ladders to clean the upstairs windows.

weedingDe-weed the path and driveway

Weeds are a fact of life for anyone with an outdoor space attached to their homes. They can also instantly lower the curb appeal of your home, so you should keep on top of the weeds to ensure they don’t negatively impact your chances of a sale. You can buy commercial weedkiller that uses natural ingredients to remove weeds from between flagstones, allowing them to be pulled up easily. For the garden, you’ll need to get your hands dirty and pull up weeds by hand. It is a good idea to do this at least weekly during spring, summer and autumn.

Get a stylish new front door handle

The hardware on your front door can make all the difference to the overall appearance of the entryway. You might be surprised by how much new door handles can improve the appearance of your front door. It is a good idea to choose something that has flair while being timelessly stylish. Corston traditional and contemporary door handles could be the ideal fit for anyone who wants to make their front door a stylish and beautiful focal point of their property’s exterior.

Frame the doorway with potted plants

Potted plants can add instant class and style to the exterior of your home. You can also create attractive symmetry in your garden by putting two matching plant pots and plants on either side of your front door. Choose plant pots that suit the materials and colour of your home’s front doors and windows to get the best effect. The plants you use could be anything from colourful seasonal blooms to lush green plants.

Give everything a fresh coat of paint

Giving the paint on your home’s exterior is a great way to instantly refresh the look of the space and make it feel new. If you choose the best, high-quality paint, you can usually just do this once before showing your home. If you struggle to find a buyer quickly, you may need to do another refresher, but one coat of paint should normally be fine for at least six months.

Light up the entryway

If you have potential buyers coming to view your home when it’s dark outside, it is a good idea to ensure the exterior of your home is well-lit. This will allow visitors to get a proper look at the property and ensure that all your hard work doesn’t go unseen. It can also be important from a safety standpoint, particularly if your home is recessed away from the street and doesn’t get a lot of light from street lighting. Adding some wall-fitted lamps on either side of the front door can cast a cosy and homely glow and add even further to the symmetry of the exterior.

WreathAdd an attractive wreath to your door

Wreaths are no longer just popular during the festive season. Many people throughout the UK choose to decorate their front doors with wreaths throughout the year, changing them out to suit different seasons or events. Wreaths can be an incredible finishing touch for the home’s exterior, making the property look more inviting and comfortable. You could consider a wreath of spring flowers, an Easter egg-themed wreath, one with autumnal leaves and colour, and much more throughout the year.

Clean your gutters

Cleaning your gutters is a common-sense household maintenance task, regardless of whether you’re trying to sell your home. Clean gutters can prevent water damage to your home, preventing leaks that can be unsightly and damaging. It is a good idea to hire a professional to clean your gutters, as they will be able to do so safely and thoroughly.

Power wash the drive

Stained paving slabs or tarmac is a sure way to lower the curb appeal of your property. The driveway, in particular, can end up with significant staining from oil and other dirt from any vehicles parked on it. A power washer can be an excellent and easy way to blast away the dirt from the driveway and garden path, leaving them sparklingly clean and making a fantastic impression on visitors. It can also be incredibly satisfying watching the high-powered jets of water effortlessly wash away years of dirt and grime.

Final thoughts

Curb appeal should never be underestimated as a selling tool for your property. There are many improvements you can make to the exterior of your property, many of which are quick, simple and cheap fixes that can instantly boost curb appeal. It can often be tough to see imperfections in your own property exterior, so getting the opinion of someone impartial can also be a great way to identify areas for improvement outdoors.

 

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