First impressions count, so if you’re trying to sell your home, it’s important you don’t fall at the first hurdle.
Most buyers will make a judgment call on whether or not they like your home before they’ve even walked in. While it is possible to turn them around once they’re inside, is it really worth the risk when a few small tweaks is all it takes to add some major curb appeal to your property?
Whether you live in a St. Louis home or an affordable Milwaukee apartment, here are five top tips to help give your home a makeover on the outside that’ll give buyers the right impression of the inside.
- Revamp exterior walls
In most cases, your exterior walls are the most obvious part of your home that buyers will see when they view it for the first time. Your walls are very much part of your property that blend into the background unless there’s a glaringly obvious problem!
Depending upon the type of material on your outer walls, there are a number of potential issues that will turn buyers off. From flakey paint to rotting wooden cladding, regardless of the materials used on your external walls, if there’s an issue with them, you should absolutely address the issue. Even if there isn’t an obvious problem, a lick of paint on walls and trims can work wonders to breathe new life into your home.
- Think about your windows
You may have beautiful drapes or elegant shutters adorning your windows from the inside, but how do they look from the outside? Just as your window treatments can help finish off your internal rooms, the way you present your windows from the outside can help you achieve an overall look that will have potential buyers swooning.
If you have wooden frames, make sure they’re freshly painted and if they’re plastic, make sure they’re free from dirty marks and are not discolored. For an extra special touch, add under-window planter boxes or ornamental panel shutters.
- Create a feature entrance
You’re trying to create a good impression right from the start, so seeing your home from the point of view of the buyer is essential. What do people see when they walk from the curb to the front door? It’s vital to make that experience a memorable one!
Replacing your front door with a shiny new one is the single most important factor in dressing up your entry area. You can also add lighting to the sides of your door and use hanging and pot plants to brighten up the area too.
If you’re going to replace the flooring outside your front door, it’s a good idea to create a cohesive flow from outside to inside. If you have hardwood flooring inside, consider decking for your porch area; if you have a light carpet, think about a material which will compliment it.
Another missed opportunity when revamping porch and entry spaces is considering window treatments. Many porch areas have windows visible from the front door, and while your visitors won’t be able to see the finer detail of the window treatment you have one these windows, they will be able to see them to some extent. So, choose something that can enhance your home from the outside as well as inside. Beautiful drapes, modern blinds, and sophisticated shutters work well.
- Replace the old
There’s nothing worse than old wood and rusty fixtures ruining the aesthetic of your home’s exterior. You can put all the effort into sprucing up the space, but if you don’t replace things like old handrails, dilapidated mailboxes and even old playground equipment, you’re doing yourself a disservice. If you’re on a budget, sometimes it’s better to remove the offending item altogether rather than leaving it to attract potential scrutiny!
- Consider your outdoor entertaining space
When potential buyers look at your home, they think about what their family life would look like if they lived there. From chilled Friday nights in the living room to family baking in the kitchen, buyers consider every room in your home to decipher whether it would be a good fit for their family. And that includes outdoor living too.
So, even if you’re selling your home in the middle of winter, it’s important to paint a picture of what summer cookouts and backyard pool parties would look like. Make sure your landscaping is on point, your decking or patio is well-maintained and the exterior of your home looks just as good from the back as it does from the front.
