If you’re thinking of selling your home, the first step is to make preparations for the sale so that the house stands out and gives off the impression of a property well-taken care of, both on the inside and outside. First impressions do count and in real estate, they can make or break a deal. If your home exterior is not eye-catching, appealing and inviting, potential buyers will simply walk by and never return.
Curb appeal is everything if you’re aiming to get top dollar, so spruce up your home starting from the outside to help sell the inside. A beautiful front yard, gorgeous backyard, welcoming porch and maintained driveway are key elements that will get your buyers to think about how they could be the ones enjoying all that beauty.
Here are four useful tips guaranteed to help in this process.
Updates and repairs
If your home exterior looks shabby and worn, it’s worth investing some time and money to polish it up. All the updates and small repairs can do wonders in the overall appeal of your house so they will eventually pay off. Your home will end up looking newer, brighter and more welcoming so potential buyers will be more interested to check out the interior as well. Small repairs can include cleaning and replacing the gutters, patching concrete pathways or giving all the wooden elements a fresh coat of paint.
If your budget allows it, consider doing a bit more than just cosmetic work and invest into improving the structural integrity of your home. This would include façade work, replacing the windows, the front and the garage door and roofing if necessary. According to reports, these projects give homeowners more than 70% return on their investment.
The clean-up
In some cases, a good, thorough clean-up could be all it takes to tidy up your home’s exterior. Depending on the local climate and surroundings, your exterior can pile up a lot of dirt, grime and dust over the years. It sticks to the surface of your outside walls, fences and even concrete surfaces and makes them look darker, dirtier and neglected. To brighten up their appearance, try pressure washing them to remove the layers and restore their former glory.
Porch and driveway
Your porch should look beautiful and inviting, and give the buyers a hint of what’s inside. Accessorise it with a couple of comfy chairs if you have enough space, hang a seasonal wreath on the front door, add a new doormat and put colourful flower boxes. A nice trick is to plant some aromatic plants like lavender and jasmine by the entrance so the guests are engulfed with a subtle scent as they walk by.
The driveway covers quite a lot of surface at the front of your home so do your best to keep it in good condition. If you have gravel, rake it regularly and add more gravel if it dissipated over time. If it’s a paved driveway, you can add a top coat of sealer and if it’s concrete, a great solution is to use a quality floor paint with high wear resistance, which will give your driveway a bright new look and a longer lifespan.
Landscaping
Nature has a calming effect and greenery always makes everyone smile and take a moment to enjoy the beauty. To enhance the appearance of your yard, dedicate some time and effort to its maintenance. Prune the overgrown shrubs and bushes, mow the lawn, remove the weeds and breathe new life into your flowerbeds with colourful flowers and plants. It will draw the eye and make people feel at ease, which is a great preparation before they enter your house.
In case of home staging, people do judge the book by its cover. If your home makes a bad first impression, people will take that negativity with them when they go in and your goal of selling the place will be harder to achieve.