We all know that first impressions count, so the curb appeal of your home is vitally important to buyers. The impression your home gives to potential buyers, as they walk up the driveway, is an essential step in not only making a sale, but also in encouraging buyers to eagerly anticipate viewing your home.
The exterior of your home starts to build an expectation of what’s inside. So to help you sell your property, the team at Switch Real Estate have put together seven top tips for boosting the curb appeal of your Sydney home.
1. Trim bushes & trees
If the front of your home is hidden by trees and bushes, a professional prune will bring light inside and improve the curb appeal of your property. Potential buyers also like to see that trees don’t overhang the house, as apart from branches breaking in storms, their leaves can block the guttering and cause leaks through the roof. Trees and bushes can also obstruct the architecture of your home, so a quick prune is in order!
2. Remove all the weeds
When the front garden beds and lawn are filled with weeds, it’s not very inviting. Buyers often feel that if you can’t be bothered keeping the front yard in check, what other problems are you ignoring? So weed the garden beds and the lawns, remove and replace dead plants, feed and water the lawn, patch bare spots in the lawn, and keep it trimmed and mown with perfect edges.
3. Clean the driveway
Plain concrete driveways can get very dirty, mouldy and slippery quickly. Even coloured concrete or aggregate driveways can look unkept and dirty if left too long without a good clean. Dirty driveways are very off-putting to buyers, so grab the water blaster and clean the driveways and any other paths that lead to your front door.
4. Replace or repaint the garage door
If your garage door has seen better days, it might be time for a new coat of paint or even a new door. Flaking paint, and bat and bird droppings, can all make your garage door look old and worn. It’s also a good idea to check all the side and bottom seals that can perish over time and replace these as well. If the garage door truly has seen better days, then a new one will definitely add to your home’s curb appeal, but a fresh coat of paint and new seals can work just as well.
5. Refresh your front door and porch
If you have a good solid front door, you don’t need to replace it. Just take a good hard look at the entrance to your home and try to think of ways to make it look more inviting. Is the door furniture looking old and worn? Are the external lights out of date and dirty? Does the screen door need a good clean? Are the steps clean and in good order? Does the mailbox at the end of the driveway need to be cleaned or replaced? Are the property’s numbers easily seen from the road? Can you add a few pots of flowering plants around the door to brighten the area?
How about a fresh new doormat? Does you front door need a new coat of paint or a more modern colour? Timber doors are fine and don’t need to be painted, but if your door is already painted, it might need a makeover to bring it bang up to date. Anything you can do to make the entrance to your home look more inviting will help to lift its curb appeal.
6. Remove rubbish & tidy away the bins
Any rubbish that’s been left in the front yard, needs to be removed. It’s unlikely that you have old cars in the front yard, but if it’s not meant to be there and you have been nagging to have it removed for a while now (whatever it is!), get it taken away to the tip or recycled. This includes old mowers and other rubbish that’s been sat in and around the garage for years, just waiting for someone to get around to removing it. Your council bins are other items that need to be hidden away from the front yard, as they don’t do anything positive for your home’s curb appeal. Consider erecting a privacy screen for your bins, if there’s nowhere else to put them, not forgetting to hide the garden bags that are picked up monthly. All of these need to be tucked away from prying eyes.
7. Clean the screens and windows
Most of us are so busy with our daily lives that we suddenly seem surprised when we realise that our windows and screens are so dirty! We are all guilty, but when you have potential buyers arriving for viewings, it’s important that you put your best foot forward. There are companies who clean both windows and security screens, so give them a call and make the front of your home sparkle in the sunshine.
These seven tips should help you prepare your home for viewings by boosting its curb appeal for potential Sydney buyers.
