Preparing the exterior of your home for a sale often doesn’t get the same attention as the inside, but the power of curbside appeal shouldn’t be underestimated.
People sell property for all types of reasons. For some, they might want to capitalise on the current state of Victoria’s real estate market, while others, it might be a simple case of upsizing or downsizing. Depending on which side of the coin you find yourself on, selling in Australia can be both a stressful and exciting experience.
If you’re the one who identifies as the seller, then you’ve no doubt received a wide range of often unsolicited advice on what to do as a means to generate a quick sale for the best possible price. While there’s no magic formula, a few of the basics to cover include tackling outstanding repairs, the right types of marketing strategies and of course, property styling.
While property styling is rightly considered to be one of the more valuable aspects to consider when selling property, it does tend to forget about the importance of curbside appeal – but what exactly is it, and why is it still relevant?
Curbside Appeal And Outdoor Styling Explained
In a nutshell, curbside appeal is a term used to describe the general attractiveness of a house or dwelling from the sidewalk or curb to a prospective buyer. Although often used by realtors trying to sell or evaluate a piece of property, it’s importance has fallen out of favour in recent times considering the rise of site unseen property purchases.
However, that doesn’t mean that it’s a dead concept. One of the fundamentals of basic real estate psychology is that most buyers need to be able to envision themselves living in your house before they even think about making an offer on it. Whether we like it or not, first impressions do count, and your property’s curbside appeal is your initial chance to impress prospective buyers who might be strolling or driving past the property in question.
Curbside appeal is a concept that also translates on the internet too, as the first image a browser sees is often the exterior of the property for sale. Regardless of whether you’re a seller trying to make your mark in the physical or digital world, what can you do to boost your home’s curbside appeal and ensure that your home’s exterior invokes good vibes?
A Luscious Lawn – Having a green and well manicured lawn invoked a thought to buyers that if the front yard looks this good, imagine what the rest of the home looks like? Along with ensuring that it’s mowed, ensure your lawn is free from any debris or weeds as this will help to maintain its overall health in the long term.
Power Wash The Driveway – Although it might not seem like the most important contributor to channeling good curbside appeal, having a driveway that looks old, tired or covered in stains can take the attention away from the rest of your home’s outdoor aesthetic. By investing a few hours of your time to give it a power wash, your driveway will look years younger.
Fresh Paint Works Wonders – Anyone who’s familiar with the concept of renovating on a budget will understand just how powerful a fresh coat of paint is both indoors and outdoors. If it’s not something that you’re willing to commit to, even taking the time to give your home’s exterior walls a wash down will help make it look appealing to prospective buyers.
Clean Your Windows – Although it’s unlikely that passersby will see much of the interior of your home through front facing windows, ensuring that these are dust, cobweb and speckle free sends a message to passersby that you care about the maintenance of the property and that it’s been well looked after.
Trim Those Trees – Although having trees in your front yard can be favourable for buyers looking for shade and privacy, you don’t want to have any hazardous branches in the way, nor do you want their debris to ruin all of the work you’ve put into channelling some serious curbside appeal. Thus, don’t be afraid to give them a trim before you list the property publicly.
Should you be looking to sell your home or purchase a new one, enlisting the services of a free property advisor like ESPA can often be a game changer. As an example, your advisor would likely research the property, local agents, check the zoning, evaluate market conditions, and communicate clearly with you regarding all of your options – but where do you find one?
Take The Stress Out Of Selling Property
As a completely free service, Emergency Services Property Advisors provide property advisor services to Police, Fire, Ambulance and S.E.S personnel and their families right across Victoria.
Luke and the team at ESPA are passionate about providing support to some of Australia’s most valued public servants. Along with key industry insights, ESPA also works with a broad range of service providers linked to the real estate industry such as conveyancers, trades, legal practitioners and mortgage brokers.
If you are an emergency services worker looking to potentially buy or sell property in the future, please get in touch with Emergency Services Property Advisors today to discuss how we can turn your real estate dreams into reality, or call Luke directly on 0414 757 705.
