Six Ways to Make Your Home Stand Out

When selling your home, sometimes it is easy to be blind to the minor faults that potential buyers will spot. This is especially true if you have lived in your home for many years and may not have noticed that it looks a little tired. With peopl ...

When selling your home, sometimes it is easy to be blind to the minor faults that potential buyers will spot. This is especially true if you have lived in your home for many years and may not have noticed that it looks a little tired.

With people forming the first impression of your home in just a few seconds, here are six ways you can improve the external appearance of your house to make it stand out on your street and attract the buyers you need.

1: De-personalise your exterior property

House buyers don't want to buy someone else's home. They want a blank canvas where they can create their own space. De-personalising your home and taking your personality out of the rooms is essential, but don't forget to do the same to your outdoor spaces.

Pack away garden ornaments and things that make it look like your home, such as your children's outdoor toys, sandpit, paddling pool, etc. Keep these things out of sight in your garden shed when you have viewings booked.

2: Low-maintenance landscaping

Tidy up the landscaping to make it as low-maintenance as possible for your buyers. The last thing a prospective buyer wants to see is an overgrown garden with cracked paving and broken fences.

House viewers will be mentally adding up all the DIY jobs they will need as they walk around your property. The last thing you want is for them to have a list of jobs on their mind even before they have set foot over your threshold.

3: Freshen up the paintwork

If you have any exterior paintwork that is flaking away or has faded from sun exposure, it can really age the look of your property. A fresh lick of paint can brighten up wooden front doors and frames, and prospective buyers will see that repainting the exterior woodwork is one less job they will have to do.

4: Repair or replace rain guttering

One of the things that can age a house and make it look shabby and unkempt is broken rain guttering and drainpipes. Not only does it give the impression that you haven't kept on top of your DIY tasks, but broken and leaking guttering can spell hidden problems such as water ingress and damp patches in the brickwork. Cleaning out, repairing, or replacing the guttering can reassure prospective buyers that the house has been well cared for and is watertight.

5: Dress to impress

While it makes sense to remove your personality from your home, it can help to dress up your outdoor spaces with some decorations and furnishings. A well-placed patio set or benches with throw cushions can add charm to your outdoor space and let your prospective buyers picture themselves relaxing outside and enjoying their new home.

You can take any new outdoor furniture and decorations with you when you leave and use them in your new home.

6: Good photographs

When selling your home in the UK, it is not uncommon for the estate agent to take a few snaps of your home using their smartphone. Make sure they are good quality and adequately lit to make even the darkest corners of your home and garden look bright and attractive to people who will be viewing your home online.

Conclusion

First impressions do count when you want to impress a prospective buyer. No matter if you are downsizing now that your kids have left home - or you want to relocate to another part of the country to be closer to work or family, giving your home a bit of a facelift and boosting its kerb appeal is going to tempt prospective buyers over the doorstep to see what's inside.

If you're looking to sell locally, our team will be happy to offer an accurate, confidential, and no-obligation market appraisal of your home.

Click here.