The time has come to sell your home and move to a beautiful new house. You are probably incredibly excited to exchange keys and start making your new home your own – who wouldn’t be!
When it comes to selling, the worry that many of us have is that our old home won’t sell in time for us to complete on our new one. While you can’t guarantee that your property will sell immediately, what you can do is make it more appealing. Often, when viewing houses, buyers make up their minds about the house in the first 15 seconds of seeing it. This means that to sell your home quickly, the exterior of your property – the first thing buyers see, needs to be perfect.
If your home’s exterior is looking a little worse for wear, there’s no need to panic. Selling your home can be stressful, and we understand that. That’s why we have put together this seven-step guide to boosting your home’s kerb appeal, making it more likely to sell.
Step 1: Focus on junk
The first thing that you need to do is focus on any junk or clutter that is on display in your garden. Far too often, we leave broken pieces of garden furniture spread around our gardens, along with all sorts of unneeded clutter. For buyers, this is not appealing, so it needs to go.
Take a moment to look at your garden from a buyer’s perspective, and ask yourself, what you see. Do you see a neat, tidy space, or somewhere scattered with junk? If it’s the latter, it’s time to get cleaning.
Step 2: Smarten up the paintwork
The next step is to take the time to smarten up the exterior of the building – this is especially important if the paintwork is in bad shape. If you have painted in the last year or so, your home may not need to be repainted. (If it’s been a little longer, you may need to call a decorator.
Even if your home was painted recently, it could probably do with a good clean. Dirt and staining can quickly discolour your paintwork, making your property less appealing. Use a pressure washer – you can rent these from local home stores, to give the exterior of your home a good clean.
Step 3: Beautify your garden
Your garden should be brimming with beautiful plants and flowers, if you want it to sell, that is. If your yard is lacking foliage, take the time to do some planting. Adding flower boxes, plant pots or raised garden beds will give your home a massive boost in terms of sell-ability. Stocking your garden with all the prettiest flowers is a simple and cost-effective way to make your home more appealing.
Step 4: Add outdoor lighting
If your garden doesn’t already have outdoor lighting, take the time to install some. You may think this is an odd idea, as buyers will be viewing your property in the daytime, but adding lighting makes your home seem more inviting.
Instead of running a wire for the lights, keep things neat with solar powered lamps. All you have to do is stick these in the ground, allow them to charge up, and voila, you’ll have light.
Step 5: Install a new garage door
If your home’s garage door is old and worn, now is the perfect time to replace it. An old, rusty door will instantly reduce your home’s kerb appeal.
Instead of sticking to a simple garage door, choose something chic and stylish. It might only be a door, but it’s a big presence at the front of your property. So it needs to be a design that gives your home a boost.
Step 6: Upgrade your porch
Don’t overlook your porch when it comes to boosting the look of your home, as it’s an important feature. Simply swapping your outdated front door and hardware – door handle, knocker, etc., can make a big difference.
Small updates like adding a new house number and swapping rusty light fixtures, can enhance the look of your porch. They might not be big changes, but these simple things can make a difference.
Step 7: Add garden furniture
Want your home to sell quickly? Make your garden look like somewhere that is perfect for spending time in. If you don’t already have a patio or decked area for relaxing on, consider creating one.
Invest in a garden table and chairs and some stylish cushions, and create a beautiful relaxation area. A big part of selling your home is showing buyers the potential that the space has for them and their family.
If you want your home to sell fast, give your kerb appeal a boost by taking note of these simple updates.
