It has been feeling very spring-like over recent days in Bramhope. The daffodils are in full bloom and I saw bluebells driving up Pool bank this morning! The cherry trees on Long Meadows and opposite our office are starting to look stunning. Gardens are looking beautiful too, and with lighter nights for viewings and Easter just around the corner, now is a great time to sell your home. If you are considering moving and getting your property ‘ready to go on the market’, it is the ideal time for making first impressions count.

Kerb appeal is a term used to describe the attractiveness of the exterior of a residential property as viewed from the street. It is often used as an indicator of the property's initial appeal and what it could potentially look like inside.

Boost your property’s value with Kerb appeal

How the outside of your home looks can have a massive impact on what a potential buyer may think about the standard of your home. As well as boosting its value and potentially securing a quicker sale. If you provide the wow factor from the outside, then viewers will be excited and hopeful for the viewing inside. If you disappoint right from the outset, then it will take twice as long to win people over.

How many houses have you discounted in the past simply because you didn’t like the look of the house from the outside?

So why does it matter? The front exterior shot is the most commonly used ‘lead’ photograph on the property portals. It is also the one that shows up in search results. Its main job is to get people to click on your property to find out more information about the rest of the house. If the main image is not enticing, you will have a lower click-through rate and fewer potential buyers.

Kerb appeal is really important for viewings arranged by your Estate Agent, but equally as important for one that might take place on a ‘drive-by’.

Kerb appeal needs to be maintained for the whole time your house is on the market, not just for the initial photographs. If you use David Phillip Estate Agents to sell your home, we also offer the opportunity to choose a 3D virtual tour. This means that your home needs staging properly only once, which is a huge benefit.

What makes good Kerb appeal?

So here are a few tips to improve your home’s Kerb appeal when you are selling:-

• Fix any tired or broken gates. It is not a very good impression if the viewer struggles to access the property. Whilst you are at it, repair any fence panels too that are in disrepair.
• Your pathway is the journey to your home. Keep it swept, and remove any cracked paving stones. Ensure borders look pretty (a well-kept exterior suggests a well-kept interior).
• Your front door can say a lot about the inside of the property. Make it a focal point. Does it give a welcoming impression as well as a secure one? – Is it well painted? Are the door furnishings classy and polished, too? Antique shops are great for discovering unusual hardware to improve the look of your door.
• Are you able to see the house number clearly? There’s nothing worse for a viewer than having to drive round and round before they can find your house for the viewing!
• Adding a fresh coat of paint costs relatively little. It will add colour and character to the entrance of your home. If your front door is UPVC, ensure it is well cleaned and ensure your doorbell works too.
• Ensure your windows and paintwork look tidy and clean, with no grubby glass panes.
• Add some extra lighting to the front door. If you haven’t any lights, use an Estate Agent that can provide a photographic enhancement service. This can turn the darkest of doors into a light-filled entrance. Always pick a pair of matching lights, as symmetry looks the best.
• If the dustbins (and there are so many now!) happen to be at the front of the house, ensure they have been removed or are not overflowing and looking unsightly.
• If your car is parked at the front of the house, then move it for the viewing. Remember especially to move it when the professional photographer is taking pictures. Make it easy for the person doing the viewing to park. This will also show that the street is not overcrowded with vehicles.
• The Estate Agent is responsible for the For Sale board. There is nothing that looks worse than when a board has blown over or is standing at an odd angle. Ensure your agent uses a board company that has a full tracking service. If there is anything amiss with the board, then this will ensure an immediate fix.

Add as much as 10% to your home

It is easy to increase the Kerb appeal of your property by undertaking these small improvements – a fresh, attractive exterior could add as much as 10% to the value of your home, as well as helping to
secure a quicker sale.

Zoopla have also announced based on AI that Leeds is forecast to be the second highest price growth area in the UK this year (after Newcastle), which is another positive reason to sell.
So, if you want to sell your home in North Leeds, call an Estate Agent that will not only list your
house on all the main property but also help present your house in the best way too.

T: 0113 4676 400
w: davidphillip.co.uk
e: info@davidphillip.co.uk
a: 86, Leeds Road, Bramhope, Leeds, LS16 9AN

Selling houses in North Leeds - covering Leeds, North Leeds, Bramhope, Adel, Cookridge, Pool-in Wharfedale and Otley