Some houses have natural kerb appeal but it’s about more than just having a good-looking place – prime pavement pull can easily be created, and even the ugliest building can look tempting from the outside if it’s done up right!

Anyone with a home on the market might be feeling some despair right now. Never before has your home and your ‘kerb appeal’ needed to look so amazing. Buyers decide very quickly whether they like a property or not, and many are likely to be doing initial drive-bys before they even consider scheduling a viewing.

It may be tempting to let the outside of your home slide until the weather warms up, but many buyers are out right now, hunting for homes that impress.

‘A house with real kerb appeal lifts your spirits – it’s a house where the front garden is well-presented, the railing is in perfect condition, the door immaculately painted, perhaps with roses growing over it,’ says Sarah Beeny. Improving the appearance of a property doesn’t necessarily have to be an expensive project, she says – but there are a few rules.

‘No DIY is better than bad DIY. Badly painted front doors with drips running down them or dirty looking houses are a no-no. A lack of cleanliness can be very off-putting.’

In fact, Sarah and her husband had decided to buy their house before they’d even reached the front door. ‘We were halfway across the garden and were already saying to each other, “how do we make this house fit our family?”,’ she says. ‘It was May, and there were forget-me-nots everywhere. It was such an unusual plot to find in London.’

‘First impressions count for a lot,’ says Sarah. ‘A bad appearance can do a lot of damage. It doesn’t take a great deal of effort to change this though.’

1. Painting: It sounds simple but this is the first thing that people are going to look at, and it’s the perfect opportunity to make a good first impression. ‘Go wild with colour, it’s the one place you can,’ says Sarah. Make sure you pick a good quality paint with a professional finish, and hire a skilled painter to ensure it looks as close to perfect as possible. A badly painted door with cheap paint is not really going to send a message that the property is top quality. Also keep in mind the style of your house and street when picking the colour.
2. Accessories: Display your house number or name as this defines your property and gives it a visible identity. Straighten up any crooked numerals or plaques that are already in place. Either have a working door bell or a decent knocker. Remember, quality does not need to mean expensive. Look online for good deals.
3. Doors: ‘You should never skimp on the quality of door furniture,’ says Sarah, ‘but don’t overdo it by putting knobs, knockers, bells and numbers all over the door, as it looks cluttered and is confusing. You’re better off having fewer, but choice pieces of door furniture. A simple but good quality letterbox and bell (a working one at that) gives a strong, positive impression.’
4. Cleaning: Give the exterior of your property a general spruce up using a high pressure washer. Let a powerful jet of water blast away dirt and grime off a number of outside surfaces. Get brick walls, garden furniture, driveways and garden paths, patios and cars looking tip-top, and don’t forget to get someone up on the roof to give it a good spray, removing moss, lichen and general dirt build-up.
5. Gutters: Replace old and dilapidated gutters, and make sure any existing ones are firmly attached to the house, as blockages can cause them to pull away from the wall, making the house look messy, and also risking damage to the property. Clear out any build-up of leaves and debris, as this can look unsightly and give the impression that your house is unkempt.
6. Windows: Give your glass a thorough clean, and don’t neglect the ones higher up. Gleaming panes are a good indication to buyers that your house is clean inside. Get any cracked windows repaired, as well as rebuild any damaged frames. Rotten areas can be cut out and new wood scarfed into place. A fresh coat of paint or varnish on the frame will also go a long way to making sure your windows look their best from the outside.
7. Plants: Landscaped beds with colourful flowers and box hedges set off the front of a house and can soften the look of a property; or for smaller spaces, such as either side of the front door, try planters with box topiary. A touch of greenery will increase the appeal for a certain type of buyer, so it’s worth putting in the extra effort. Remember, though, that some creepers are not good for brickwork as they can pull the mortar out of the pointing.
8. Parking: Increase the value of your house (especially in inner city areas) by creating a paved off-road parking space on the property. This is usually done by laying a slab of concrete down, but be aware that concrete can stop water draining through the soil which poses the risk of flooding from excess rainwater. Use porous paving and sub-base to allow the ground to absorb water. If you want to cut down on the environmental impact, pave over the smallest area you can.
9. Roof: Don’t think that because your roof is high up, it is out of sight and out of mind – from a view across the street it is way more visible than you think. Roof repairs always come with a hefty bill in tow, so potential buyers will be wary of any house with a roof that looks like it has seen better days. Get cracked, slipped and missing tiles replaced. If you can’t find tiles to match your current ones, use tiles from the back of the roof to replace those in street view, then used the mismatched tiles in the more discreet areas.
10. Brickwork: Loose, broken, cracked and crumbling bricks in a doorway, garden wall or on the side of your house don’t make a good impression, and could spook nervous home buyers, as they let moisture into the wall. Get any problem bricks replaced, but be sure to use the same type of brick and match up the colour as best you can – you can find reclaimed bricks to match most types. If the bricks around your chimney are covered in soot, consider giving them a clean, but be cautious as the look of a brick area can be permanently spoiled by bad cleaning techniques or by the use of the wrong product.
11. Lights: A light outside your property is both practical for night time use as well as lookingpretty. Small lantern lamps add a traditional touch, either wall-mounted or on a porch. If your house opens straight onto the street, investigate if a little LED light can be installed to welcome people into the house, especially if the area leading up to it is badly lit. These will be perfectfor showing the way. Utilise your garden, especially in the dark winter months. Shrubs and pot plants can conceal light apparatus so that you get patches of light minusany unsightly plastic or wires. Just remember what kind of effect you want to create. 

Sarah says... ‘If you can get someone in a positive frame of mind before they’ve stepped through the front door it can help your house sale. Buyers look for evidence that the house has been well maintained. Any sign that they will need to spend time or money may put them off.’

Image: Getty