First impressions are everything when it comes to selling your home. From the photos available in the estate agent to the impression it creates when your prospective buyers first arrive, so called ‘curb appeal’ is essential, and you have to maximise it. Here’s how:
Gardens filled with rubbish, recycling and children’s toys aren’t appealing for prospective buyers, even if they are practical for the owner. Unless you’re a ‘green fingered’ owner who has a penchant for gardening then it is likely that you’ve largely neglected your garden over the years other than giving the grass a quick trim. Unfortunately, prospective new owners will be looking over your home with a highly critical eye, and it is likely that they will spot this, and they will wonder if there are any hidden dangers.
Start boosting your ‘curb appeal’ by looking over your garden for any stray litter. From here, tidy away the toys out of sight, and then conduct a perimeter check. Are the windows clean, what about the sills and the decks? If the answer is no, then it is time to get the scrubber and power washer out so your garden is spick and span, creating a great first impression.
For repairs, check your decking, paving and patio. Brush over wood with new stain to make it fresh and appealing. If your home is on the market, all of these will need to be in good repair. If you’re naturally ‘green fingered’ and your garden is already in good repair, then it may be that you decide to take this to the next level by landscaping.
Of course, you don’t want to invest too much money in your garden if you’re planning on immediately selling, but you should still pour time and attention into it. By doing so, you’ll make your home appear warm and inviting and, crucially, before the prospective buyer even walks inside, they’ll be aware that the entire home is well maintained. So, pull up any unsightly weeds, trim and untidy hedges and rid the garden of all forms of moss. Finish by giving the lawn a good cut. If you want to add extra little touches, then this is advisable too and there are some great ideas here. Cheap, blooming flowers can easily add to a home’s warmth, making it appear inviting, warm and, by proxy, more likely to sell.
If you take these extra steps and boost your ‘curb appeal’ then your house is far more likely to sell. However, if you’re still having trouble on the high street then try some alternate options. Online estate agents like House Network can open your property up to a new market (and save you on fees). Of course, there’s still a good chance your house will sell on the high street but you should always consider all options for a quick sale.
Although it may be more fun to spend our home budgets on some new throw cushions or curtains; we should consider spending it on these more important, albeit less glamorous, things first. They will not only save us money in the long run but will also help us to reduce our carbon footprint. When you consider factors such as environmental decline and the controversy surrounding a stagnating national wage that fails to increase in line with inflation, there is a pressing need to spend in a thoughtful and impactful manner. With this in mind, let’s take a look at some examples of challenging and unglamorous home maintenance tasks that can deliver significant returns. These include:
Keeping your gutters clear is an important part of your homes maintenance as these fittings are essential to your buildings structural integrity. They ensure that the water that flows off your roof is carried away rather than spilling on to the walls and pooling on your drive and lawn. If your drains become blocked and are prevented from being able to carry out this job the water could result in thousands and thousands of pounds worth of preventable damage. As Gutter Clear explains, this includes both internal and external damage such as damp and ruined masonry. Further, functioning gutters allows you to utilise this potentially destructive waste and turn it into something positive. By installing a water butt the rain water that you collect can then be used to water your vegetable patch or plants thereby reducing your water bill and making your garden greener.
Insulating your home will also reduce both your energy bills and your C02 emissions. The two main ways of insulating property is to either insulate the loft or external walls. This can be by, as suggested by the Energy Saving Trust, as much as an impressive £460.00 per annum in heating and 1,900 kilograms in C02. Insulating external walls will not only reduce draughts by filling in any gaps or cracks in your walls but will also make it more sound proof and increase the life of your walls by protecting the brickwork.
Furthermore, insulation is no longer just available for more modern properties. If you own a property that is unsuitable for cavity wall, external wall or loft insulation such as a period property or one with decorative architectural features there is now another option. Companies such as the Mark Group are able to carry out internal wall insulation instead. This works just as well as the other forms of insulation but without any chance of it damaging your property, so it minimizes risk and the potential for having to pay out on future repairs.