Five easy ways to make a great first impression

If you’re considering putting your home on the market in the coming spring or summer selling season, you need to be well prepared for the demands of prospective buyers.

We’re seeing a significant increase in buyer optimism right now, encouraging more owners to enter the market. It also means there’ll be plenty of competition among owners.

Even with the recent spate of interest rises, the prospect of achieving a great price is very real right now. Industry researcher CoreLogic has just reported the fifth consecutive month of value growth across the residential sector.

To make the most of this environment, you must diligently prepare your home for sale. As an experienced agency in your area, we’ve seen that complacency can cost you money. 

Don’t fall into the trap of believing problems with your home won’t matter or buyers won’t notice.

Buyers notice everything. Taking shortcuts will cost you money.

And given your home is probably your largest financial asset, it’s crazy to turn your back on thousands of additional dollars for the sake of a little effort.

We’ve outlined five outdoor areas that can undermine the value of your home if they’re not in pristine condition. We hope you find our advice helpful.

In the meantime, if we can help you with your property needs, please do not hesitate to contact us. Local price trends are looking very healthy, and we’re seeing additional buyer interest as the weather warms up.

Garden grief

First impressions are so important, and if your front yard looks like a bomb site, you’ll find many prospective buyers drive straight past your home without a second thought. Make sure your lawn is mown, the flowerbeds are free of weeds and cracks in the driveway have been fixed.

Colour clash

If your home has been the victim of an unfortunate colour scheme, you must change it. Go with something classic and simple that fits with the rest of the neighbourhood.

Clean up

Put hosepipes, watering cans and bins out of sight. A cluttered front yard will put buyers on their guard as they enter the home. They’ll expect to see the same chaos indoors, and that’s not the impression you want to make.

Inferior exterior

Focus on minor issues, such as a blown bulb in the exterior light fitting or a rusty mailbox. These little imperfections can add up and have a negative impact. 

Make it ‘pop’

A low-cost, high-value improvement to your front yard is buying new outdoor furniture and colourful seating cushions to make the exterior “pop” with life.