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As you walk along the streets where you live, there will be certain houses that catch your eye. They may be of an architectural style that you adore or just scream potential, but more than likely it’s because they win you over with their kerb appeal. Kerb appeal is simply how a home looks from the pavement or road, when that initial glance can quickly turn into a stare. Having alluring kerb appeal is always essential but even more so in this sellers’ market, which is why our team at Deakin-White have put together some of our favourite tips to help you wow buyers with your home’s kerb appeal.
A Sellers’ Market?
With not many homes on the market compared to the level of buyer demand, you would think that your kerb appeal is important but not quite as essential as when we’re in a buyers’ market. We can understand this thinking but there is still an advantage to presenting the front of your home in a way that attracts and excites potential buyers. Buyers at the moment are trying to get ahead of the game, they are touring streets and neighbourhoods looking for homes that they love, even if they are not even on the market. We often get calls from buyers saying, “If this home or one similar comes on the market, please contact me straight away.”
Imagine having potential buyers queuing to view your property even before you have made the decision to sell? That is the power of exquisite kerb appeal.
It’s Not About Size
Any home, regardless of the size, can wow buyers with its appeal. “I remember a first-time buyer a few years ago, she had driven down a street and seen a home that just spoke to her. It was a tiny terrace that sat directly on the pavement edge. The house wasn’t on the market at that time, but it had a beautiful hanging basket bursting with blooms and the door looked like it had been freshly painted. She said to her family, ‘That’s the house I want,’ and a few weeks later it was on the market and yes, she did buy it,” said Scott from our Hertfordshire office.
We don’t want you to think that just because you don’t have a drive and garden at the front of your home, you can’t grab buyers’ attention. Kerb appeal is essential for any size of home, no matter how big or small, as first impressions do matter.
Where to Start
Just like with your home’s interior, start by giving the exterior of your home a good clean, from windows to doors, even to the pavement edge. Pathways and paving can start to look tired over time, but it’s nothing a good old jet wash won’t get clean. If you don’t have the equipment yourself, there are plenty of local companies that can help. Tidy up your home’s exterior and find somewhere out of sight for your bins, if possible, as let’s face it, they’re not very attractive.
If you have a fence and gates, what condition are they in? This year’s random weather, from sun to snow, may not have been kind to your home’s exterior, so fix anything that is broken and give it a fresh coat of paint and stain where needed. Peeling paint work on a windowsill and a fence that has passed its sell by date are never a good look, yet often in the stress of getting a home ready for sale, we can forget about that kerb-side view.
Bring Back to Life
Your garden may be seeing signs of spring coming to life, with leaves and blossoms beginning to appear and even some plants adding colour and joy to your flowerbeds. Give your front garden a good MOT: get rid of the weeds and winter decay and add some new seasonal plants where needed, so instead of something that looks barren, you have the most beautiful welcome.
The same goes for any lawn areas; bare and patchy grass just looks like work, so do whatever you can to bring it back to life before you place your home on the market. If you don’t have much, or any, space at the front of your home, there are still ways to add some greenery through tubs, window boxes and hanging baskets.
A very popular and elegant way to frame your doorway is with symmetrical planting, whether that’s through a pair of bay or olive trees, or even a couple of stylish planters filled with your favourite shrubs.
Front Door
Your front door is the focal point of your house, and is where a buyer’s eye will initially be drawn. With so many fantastic products on the market today, you can even spruce up an old PVC door with a lovely new colour. Whether you choose a bold and luscious red, a subtle heritage shade or a deep and warm blue, there is only one rule: it needs to work with the style of your house, otherwise it could turn buyers off instead of attracting them.
The Big Test
If you want to know how it looks, judge for yourself from the pavement or roadside, but remember to do it with a judgemental eye, just like those of a potential buyer. There is just one major risk: that when you see your home presented to wow buyers with its kerb appeal, you may start to fall in love with it all over again!
For more advice on how to get the highest possible price for your property in contact our team today.
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How exciting, you’re ready to embark on the next stage of your relationship and decided now is the time to move in together. If you’ve decided to rent or buy your first home, we bet you can’t wait to have a space that is just yours. When it comes to relationships, I don’t think any couple would say lockdown hasn’t come without challenges, yet if you are still living in separate abodes moving in together could be your biggest challenge to date if you haven’t talked everything through first. From financials to daily chores, from what belongings you will be bringing to communicating, there are many things to consider. We want moving into your first ‘together’ home to be a wonderful experience, so we have put together some top tips of things to consider to make sure moving in with your partner is a success.
Be Open About Your Finances
Let’s start with probably one of the most difficult tasks you may have, and that’s an honest conversation about your personal finances. When you move in together you will have some joint financial responsibilities, such as your rent or mortgage, bills, shopping even the Sky TV subscription and broadband. It’s important to discuss and put plans in place for things to be paid, whether you decide to open a joint account for ‘home’ expenses or split payments, you will find that getting this organised before you move in will ease some of your worries.
No one wants to start off an exciting new chapter with stresses over money when you should be enjoying having a place of your own. If you haven’t already done so, get a list together of all your expected expenses and then ask someone to check you haven’t missed anything. This way, your new life together will be starting with a clear understanding of your financial commitments and how they are going to be met.
Responsibilities
You may both may be very handy around a home and have no issues doing the washing up and mowing the lawn, but what are your expectations? One thing about jobs around the house is that they can easily become niggles that blow up into issues, if you’re always the one doing the majority of the housework whilst juggling work and life.
We all have our own ways of living; you may be a neat freak and your partner could suffer from dropsie, which could cause tensions. This is why a simple conversation about who is going to do what can help iron out any teething problems. Bear in mind, you will also have your own way of doing things – you may fold the towels one way, your partner another. There are just some things you’ll have to agree to disagree on and learn the art of compromise.
Your Stuff
When two become one, there are two lots of ‘stuff’ that need to work in harmony within a home, so you need to talk about your belongings. Having too many things in a new home can be stressful, especially if you don’t have space for everything and your home becomes cluttered and disorganised. If you’ve been both living alone you could potentially have a lot of doubles – you don’t need two kettles, 18 mugs (well, you might!) two sofas… You get the idea.
Make an inventory of what you each have and then bring your lists together so you can work out what’s important to you both. Decide which belongings to downsize, what stays and what will be sold or donated before you move in – you may even make a little money to buy something new.
Just Enjoy It
Talking through any issues is going to be a wonderful foundation for any relationship, even more so when you’re taking this amazing and exciting step of moving in together. Take a breath – moving home is stressful, there are bound to be some silly arguments over nothing, but don’t let that mar this important new adventure. Just relax and focus on your life together; after the year we’ve had, you deserve so much happiness.
So on the first night, as you sit down in your new home, take a moment and smile, because this is now your ‘together’ home and that should be celebrated!
If you’re struggling to find your together home in give our Deakin-White team a call.
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It’s said to be one of the most stressful things you can do, and with the year we’ve had you may find that your stress levels are already heightened. The last thing we want is this exciting chapter of your life to impact on your mental health, which is why our team at Deakin-White have put together some practical tips to help things feel a lot calmer. Whether you’re moving home for the first time or are a serial mover, here’s our guide for how to manage the stress of moving home.
It’s Going to be Emotional
It’s important to accept from the start that moving home is an emotional bubble that can burst when you least expect it. You’re leaving behind a property that holds a wealth of memories; even if you’ve fallen out of love with your house, you may still find that packing up a particular space could spark a memory that puts a lump in your throat. This is normal, so give yourself a break.
Not only may you have feelings of loss and grief, you could also be filled with fear and anxiety about the massive change that you are about to undertake. Even if you’re only moving locally, a home is a place where you feel safe and secure, and you’re leaving that to step into the unknown. But remember, once you fill this new abode with all those things you hold dear, it won’t be long until your new house becomes that place that isn’t just called home but feels it.
Don’t Leave it Until the Last Minute
Yes, we’re talking about packing – yeah!! Let’s be honest, there aren’t many people who look forward to this job. You may start with excitement – the date of your move beckons and so you start to pack with wild abundance, eager to see your favourite lamp displayed in that corner you picked out on viewing your new home. That initial enthusiasm is bound to fade as you begin to realise just how much stuff you actually have in every corner of your home – oh and don’t forget the garage and shed!!!
And breathe……
This is why the earlier you start packing, the better. If you’ve been an avid reader of our blog you’ll know that our expert opinion is to start before you even put your house on the market. Yes, that’s right. When you declutter your home to place it on the market, this is the optimum time to pack those things away that you won’t need before you move. This could be books, old photos and even clothes. Then, little by little, do a bit more as the weeks progress – the more you do beforehand, the less you will have to do as your moving date approaches. By not leaving packing to the last minute, you will reduce your stress levels exponentially.
Plan for Your Arrival
Whilst packing you need to get labelling. Whether you’re using a removal company or doing it yourself, make sure you have things organised so that when you arrive you’re not diving into every box going crazy because you can’t find that one item you desperately need.
It’s good to label your boxes in priority order and by location. Sometimes there can be delays which could mean you moving into your new home much later than planned. Exhausted, the last thing you want to do is unpack everything, but if you can find those boxes labelled as top priority, you’ll have everything you need for that first night. This way, instead of the stress of the day getting the best of you, you’ll be able to grab your essentials and relax, knowing that you can do the rest tomorrow.
Get to Know the Area
Even if you’re moving locally, there will be differences that you may or may not be aware of. As things start to open up, you could grab a coffee in a nearby coffee shop, pop into the local store to see what they stock and their opening times, and even take a little wander down the street you’re going to live on.
When you move to your new home, the unfamiliar will now be less so. When you forget to buy milk, you’ll know what time you need to pop to the shop before it closes. You may have met some of your neighbours, and your kids will have found the local park. Learning as much as you can about your new community and neighbourhood can lessen any anxieties you and your family may have about your move.
We’re Here to Help
We may be estate agents but we also live and work in this community, and we pretty much know everything there is to know. If you have a question, want advice on a group to join, or where’s best for your kids to play, please give us a call. The property transaction is just part of the process, what’s most important to us is that your move is successful in every way possible.
For a smoother move, call our team.
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We can certainly see the impact the Stamp Duty holiday extension is having on the property market, as we have been kept very busy this week. Even so, selling your home isn’t as easy as placing a For Sale sign outside. At Deakin-White we focus on every element of the sale, so your experience is one that results in the best possible sales price whilst taking away the stress associated with moving home. But to achieve that best possible price, you need to put in the work. One thing we are seeing quite often is homeowners who don’t truly understand how to prepare their home for sale. Professional home stagers have a wealth of advice, but we have compiled the top five tips they swear by before listing your home.
Decluttering
You may have heard us speak about this before, but we can’t tell you how important it is. What buyer wants to view a disorganised home? Failing to do this simple task is something we see often; we know it can seem daunting, but by taking a room at a time you will soon have it in hand. Make sure that you keep surfaces clear of clutter – that means your kitchen worktops, bathroom vanity units and windowsills. Just because you have a surface, doesn’t mean it needs to be filled with things.