Street Appeal: How to Maximise!
With spring just a matter of days away, here at Laing+Simmons we are all getting ready for the busy spring selling season, as are many of our sellers preparing their property for the market to capitalise on this active time of year.
Whilst we all know the importance of presentation – inside and out; creating attractive street appeal is pretty much the top of the list when it comes to preparation. First impressions count, first impressions is sometimes the only impression if a property isn’t inviting enough to entice people inside.
Get it right and your home stands out from the crowd. Get it wrong and the condition of your property raises a whole host of red flags for potential buyers that could cost you in terms of time the property spends on the market and also the price that property commands.
When it comes to enhancing street appeal, it pays to stand back, assess the front of your home, and consider the following:
Things to fix: When you stand back and look at the front of your property with a critical eye, is there anything that needs fixing? Is there something that’s broken, incomplete, or just looks tired and old?
They might seem small but unfinished projects, flaking paint, or broken things out the front of a property raise red flags for buyers, indicating perhaps the property hasn’t been cared for or maybe there’s something more serious that lies beneath.
As you make this assessment of the front of your home, be sure to look at all elements, including the front door, fence, front path, driveway, fascia, gutters, windows, porch, front garden and more.
Things to replace: Sometimes small upgrades or improvements can add a big wow factor to the street appeal of your home; for example, items like your exterior light fittings, door handle, knocker, front gate, and letterbox. If these items look tired or dated, they might be worth replacing. While you’re at it have a look at your front garden. Are there plants that might need refreshing or a bit of TLC in the lead up to the property going on the market?
Things to remove: Clutter can build up around the home without you even noticing; even small things like shoes discarded at the front door or hoses left lying about the garden. Great street appeal involves removing this clutter, including extraneous pot plants, weeds, extra garden ornaments, pet bowls or even children’s toys that might be found outside.
Things to add: After paring it back to only the aesthetically pleasing necessities, ask yourself is there anything that needs to be added? This might include final touches like statement plants beside the front door or a splash of potted colour in a hanging plant. It could also extend to suitable furniture such as a table and chairs on the front porch.
These final touches are designed to complete the emotional connection that your property should evoke, making it warm, welcoming, and enticing so prospective buyers feel compelled to investigate further at an open for inspection.
How we can help: Here at Laing+Simmons our agents can not only provide you with an up-to-date appraisal to inform you where your home sits in the current market in terms of price, but we can also help you with advice on preparing your property for sale including tips for boosting street appeal.
