How "Kerb Appeal" Helps Sell Your Home Fast

You've just put your home on the market and several potential buyers have already telephoned to view, but no one has actually knocked on your door to look inside. What has gone wrong? The most likely reason is that your home lacks "kerb appeal". Kerb appeal is real estate spiel for a property that looks good from the road outside and makes callers want to know if the inside is just as good as the exterior. So they'll knock on your door to find out.

Without kerb appeal, potential buyers may never knock on your door, and your home could remain on the market for years and sell well below your asking price.

So how do you give your home kerb appeal?

The first step is to stand on the road outside your property and look at your home through the eyes of a potential buyer. Imagine you are looking for homes for sale and consider whether you would buy the property, or if you might be tempted to drive away. Ask yourself:

Does the front door need a lick of paint?

Are the windows dirty?

Does my property look like a well-loved home or more like a paradise for squatters?

The first sign of a home worth investigating from all angles is an attractive, well-maintained exterior. A shabby exterior is a sign of a property that could be poorly-maintained indoors and outside, and in need of expensive repairs and refurbishment.

So how do you make the outside of your home so appealing that potential buyers can't wait to see inside?

You do it like this:

Clean up the driveway, mow the lawn, trim the flower borders and remove weeds from the gutters. Wash windows and doors from both sides. Apply fresh paint over cracks and stains on doors, windows, garden gate and fence. Place yellow flowers in hanging baskets above your front door. Flowers make the place look homely and loved, and yellow is believed to tempt people to spend. Polish your house number or house name so it can be seen from the road outside. Add your house number or name to the gate to make it even easier for potential buyers to find you. Replace damaged or worn door knobs, knockers and letter box. Make sure the doorbell works. Encountering maintenance problems before they even enter a property makes potential buyers wonder if the rest of the house is in need of costly repairs. Clean your car if it can be seen from the road outside. A dirty car beside a spotlessly clean property exterior shows you've tidied the place up for callers, and can lead to visitors looking more carefully for faults inside the home. Don't let large dogs roam in the garden when people call to view. Some people dislike dogs, and some are afraid of dogs and may choose to leave without viewing.

Carry out those few simple tasks and next time someone telephones for an appointment to view your homes for sale but doesn't turn up on the day, you know it isn't your home that's at fault.