As you walk along the streets where you live, there will be certain houses that catch your eye. They may be of an architectural style that you adore or just scream potential, but more than likely it’s because they win you over with their kerb appeal. Kerb appeal is simply how a home looks from the pavement or road, when that initial glance can quickly turn into a stare. Having alluring kerb appeal is always essential but even more so in this sellers’ market, which is why our team at Deakin-White have put together some of our favourite tips to help you wow buyers with your home’s kerb appeal.
A Sellers’ Market?
With not many homes on the market compared to the level of buyer demand, you would think that your kerb appeal is important but not quite as essential as when we’re in a buyers’ market. We can understand this thinking but there is still an advantage to presenting the front of your home in a way that attracts and excites potential buyers. Buyers at the moment are trying to get ahead of the game, they are touring streets and neighbourhoods looking for homes that they love, even if they are not even on the market. We often get calls from buyers saying, “If this home or one similar comes on the market, please contact me straight away.”
Imagine having potential buyers queuing to view your property even before you have made the decision to sell? That is the power of exquisite kerb appeal.
It’s Not About Size
Any home, regardless of the size, can wow buyers with its appeal. “I remember a first-time buyer a few years ago, she had driven down a street and seen a home that just spoke to her. It was a tiny terrace that sat directly on the pavement edge. The house wasn’t on the market at that time, but it had a beautiful hanging basket bursting with blooms and the door looked like it had been freshly painted. She said to her family, ‘That’s the house I want,’ and a few weeks later it was on the market and yes, she did buy it,” said Scott from our Hertfordshire office.
We don’t want you to think that just because you don’t have a drive and garden at the front of your home, you can’t grab buyers’ attention. Kerb appeal is essential for any size of home, no matter how big or small, as first impressions do matter.
Where to Start
Just like with your home’s interior, start by giving the exterior of your home a good clean, from windows to doors, even to the pavement edge. Pathways and paving can start to look tired over time, but it’s nothing a good old jet wash won’t get clean. If you don’t have the equipment yourself, there are plenty of local companies that can help. Tidy up your home’s exterior and find somewhere out of sight for your bins, if possible, as let’s face it, they’re not very attractive.
If you have a fence and gates, what condition are they in? This year’s random weather, from sun to snow, may not have been kind to your home’s exterior, so fix anything that is broken and give it a fresh coat of paint and stain where needed. Peeling paint work on a windowsill and a fence that has passed its sell by date are never a good look, yet often in the stress of getting a home ready for sale, we can forget about that kerb-side view.
Bring Back to Life
Your garden may be seeing signs of spring coming to life, with leaves and blossoms beginning to appear and even some plants adding colour and joy to your flowerbeds. Give your front garden a good MOT: get rid of the weeds and winter decay and add some new seasonal plants where needed, so instead of something that looks barren, you have the most beautiful welcome.
The same goes for any lawn areas; bare and patchy grass just looks like work, so do whatever you can to bring it back to life before you place your home on the market. If you don’t have much, or any, space at the front of your home, there are still ways to add some greenery through tubs, window boxes and hanging baskets.
A very popular and elegant way to frame your doorway is with symmetrical planting, whether that’s through a pair of bay or olive trees, or even a couple of stylish planters filled with your favourite shrubs.
Front Door
Your front door is the focal point of your house, and is where a buyer’s eye will initially be drawn. With so many fantastic products on the market today, you can even spruce up an old PVC door with a lovely new colour. Whether you choose a bold and luscious red, a subtle heritage shade or a deep and warm blue, there is only one rule: it needs to work with the style of your house, otherwise it could turn buyers off instead of attracting them.
The Big Test
If you want to know how it looks, judge for yourself from the pavement or roadside, but remember to do it with a judgemental eye, just like those of a potential buyer. There is just one major risk: that when you see your home presented to wow buyers with its kerb appeal, you may start to fall in love with it all over again!
For more advice on how to get the highest possible price for your property in contact our team today.
