Spring is in the air. Now is the time to increase your kerb appeal.

Now that Spring is officially upon us, you may be thinking about putting your house on the Norfolk property market.

Before you take that step, you have probably thought about redecorating, sprucing up the kitchen and bathroom and giving the house a declutter – but have you considered what needs doing outside?  Giving your property some kerb appeal will not only help sell your house, but it could add value too.

As the old saying goes, first impressions count – in fact, it takes just 7 seconds for someone to form an opinion!  Therefore, you need to think about how the exterior of your house could look to potential buyers. If they see that the outside needs some care and attention, they are probably wondering what needs to be done inside.

Here at Melanie Prestige, we know only too well how great kerb appeal can help sell a property. We often get calls to view properties when potential buyers have just driven by and happen to see the ‘for sale’ sign, therefore, making the most of your outside space could be the catalyst that gets you that sale.

What can you do to increase your kerb appeal? Here are just a few ideas:

• Clean your windows, frames and sills – not only will this brighten up the exterior of your house, it will brighten up your interior too.
• Give your house a new lick of paint on the outside – check your rendering? Does it need a lick of paint? Are there any cracks that need repairing? If you are unable to undertake this type of work yourself, there are a number of painting and decorating professionals that specialise in Visit the Painting & Decorating Association’s website to find an exterior painting professional in the Norwich and wider Norfolk area.
• Is your door looking a bit tired? If so, give it a lick of paint. Door paint is now available in a variety of colours, but don’t go too bold as it may put potential buyers off!
• Create an attractive doorstep. There are several things you can do to brighten up your doorstep, including: putting up a couple of brackets to hang baskets full of seasonal flowers and foliage; give the step a sweep down; invest in a new welcome mat; add lighting to either side of your door, change your door knocker; and pot up a couple of planters full of seasonal plants – all of which will provide a welcoming entrance to your home.
• Take a look at your gutters and downpipes. Leaves, weeds and other debris often end up blocking gutters and downpipes, ensure that these are clean and blockage free.
• If you keep your wheelie bins in your front garden, either move them to the rear of your property, or build a screen to hide them away.
• Give your path and driveway and clean. The best way to do this is by using a pressure washer, but if you don’t have one ask a neighbour to borrow theirs or hire one.
• Tidy the garden. Give the lawn a quick mow and trim edges, pull up any weeds in your borders and paths and deadhead any plants that have ‘gone over’.

You won’t need to spend a lot to spruce up the exterior of your house, but depending on what you do, it could add as much as 3% to your property value.

If you are thinking of putting your luxury Norfolk house on the market, give us a call today 0n 01603 516586 to book your free, no-obligation valuation visit – we can even suggest ways that you can increase your kerb appeal when we visit.