First impressions count, especially if you are looking to sell your home. We know buyers are guided by emotions, and so much of this can be influenced by what they see before they’ve even stepped foot in your property. Because the exterior of your property is the first thing anyone will notice about your home, it’s important to take the time to showcase your property in the best light! 

But curb appeal isn’t just about selling your property — it’s a long term investment that can make a property a more enjoyable place to live, as well as raising the value and appeal of your neighbourhood. It can also often be an inexpensive and relatively simple cosmetic makeover that still has a marked effect on the look and feel of a property, ensuring you create a meaningful and lasting first impression on visitors and prospective buyers. 

Before you take any steps to improve the curb appeal of your property, you need to know what areas need work, and what changes you could be making. To do that, it can be useful to get an outside perspective, whether that’s from a neighbor, co-worker, or friend, in order to be able to see your property as a prospective buyer might. This can help you develop a plan of action, and understand the aspects of your property to work on, what to enhance, and what is already appealing to viewers. 

If you’re looking to improve the curb appeal of your property, here are four simple tips that could help you! 

A Green Touch 

Some well manicured and attractive greenery can do wonders for the appeal of your property, adding a colorful and eye-catching touch, as well as giving it a lived in and homely feel. 

There are a number of fairly basic things you can do, such as mowing your front lawn and ensuring it’s well maintained, especially throughout the summer months. A crunchy dry and brown lawn does not make the best first impression. As well you can add some color with a display of plants and flowers. 

Even if you don’t have a front garden, you can still utilize these principles. Potted plants and window boxes are simple and affordable ways to give your property a brighter and more unique appeal to prospective buyers, and are especially useful if you’re working with limited space. 

When you’re deciding about where to place your plants and flowers, it can be useful to think about symmetry as this will have a greater visual appeal than a disordered arrangement. So don’t just randomly place pots, try and give it a more cohesive look. 

Spring Clean

You need to make first impressions count, and that means presenting your home in the best possible light. If there’s clutter, or if things appear dirty and worn down from the outset, it will affect the emotions and responses of the buyer throughout their visit. 

Simple activities such as cleaning down the exterior walls with a pressure washer can help to revitalize the exterior of your home. The stains and faded colour you’ve gotten used to will be noticed by people seeing it for the first time. 

Make sure that you also clean down any pathways, garage doors, and driveway to ensure you make a great first impression. If you don’t own a pressure washer, renting one for the day is a worthwhile investment. 

Modern Lighting 

Outdoor lighting is a great way to add both aesthetic appeal and atmosphere to the exterior of your home, making it more inviting and attractive to prospective buyers. It can also have a practical effect, making the visual appeal of your home apparent even during nighttime hours. This is useful as many buyers may choose to drive by a property first rather than book a full viewing, and often this will be done in the evening. 

Ensuring that the exterior spaces of your property, including both pathways and gardens, are nicely lit will make them more accessible and inviting. Plus choosing stylish and modern fixtures can also give your property an aesthetic appeal and make it stand out from other properties. 

When choosing your lighting options consider solar powered light fixtures, which will be a cheap and easy to install option, as well as making your home more environmentally friendly. 

Roof Repair 

The roof will be one of the first aspects of your property that buyers see, and therefore it’s vital you ensure it's in the best condition possible. If your roof has missing, curled, or faded shingles, it can undermine any of your other efforts to improve the curb appeal of your property — especially if other properties in your neighborhood have well kept roofs. 

Even if your roof is in good condition and not in need of repair, there’s still tremendous value in having it professionally cleaned. As it can be easy for dirt, moss, and lichens to build up and make it seem weathered and faded. Just remember that you should hire a professional cleaner to ensure your roof is cleaned safely, and with no risk of damage to it. 

Beyond the roof you should also seek to make minor repairs wherever necessary. Whether this is to fences, garden fixtures, or doorways. It’s important to check every detail to make sure your property leaves a positive and lasting first impression on prospective buyers. 

This detail should also extend to who you entrust your home to be sold by — no matter how attractive the property, the real estate market can be tricky to navigate. You need to ensure your property is entrusted to the hands of experts with the knowledge to make the most of your opportunity, and here at Madsen Langlois we have a track record of doing exactly that for countless sellers. To find out more, get in touch with us today!