Exterior investments that will pay off when you sell
Making strategic investments in your home's exterior can significantly boost your property value when the time comes to sell up.
Making strategic investments in your home's exterior can significantly boost your property value when the time comes to sell up. Carefully considering how to improve the kerb appeal and outdoor spaces of your home will impress potential buyers and convey that your home is well cared for. Landscaping and gardens are key areas where making upgrades can really pay dividends.
Here, we’ll take a look at a few winning strategies for exterior home improvements that support you in achieving top offers if you decide to put your home on the market, from the material choices for doors and creative outdoor living spaces to tidying up the landscaping.
Creating outdoor living spaces that pay off
Creating outdoor spaces for relaxation, entertainment and functionality extends a home’s living area and demonstrates valuable space for new owners, encouraging a quicker sale. Outdoor kitchens have become very popular for grilling, dining alfresco and entertaining guests. The investment puts an appealing area for gathering right outside the home's back doors.
Built-in counters, cabinets, sinks, lighting and electrical outlets show the space is wired for seamless outdoor living. Decks and patios also provide additional zones to unwind outdoors. Staining a deck or installing a cosy patio set conveys spaces ready for new families to relax with a book or host lively dinner parties.
Creating outdoor spaces for relaxation, entertainment and functionality extends a home’s living area and demonstrates valuable space for new owners, encouraging a quicker sale. Outdoor kitchens have become very popular for grilling, dining alfresco and entertaining guests. The investment puts an appealing area for gathering right outside the home's back doors.
Built-in counters, cabinets, sinks, lighting and electrical outlets show the space is wired for seamless outdoor living. Decks and patios also provide additional zones to unwind outdoors. Staining a deck or installing a cosy patio set conveys spaces ready for new families to relax with a book or host lively dinner parties.
Garden rooms are another emerging trend that blur the lines between indoors and out, from places to enjoy hobbies or work out to relaxing spots that allow you to immerse yourself in your garden surroundings. Home gyms in the garden, meanwhile, enable residents to exercise with fresh air and vitamin D. Positioning equipment on a patio or within a converted outbuilding demonstrates how buyers can utilise the exterior for healthy living.
Upgrading entryways for a fresh look
An often-overlooked area to boost first impressions is updating front doors that welcome residents and guests. Enhancing entry doors and garage doors frames the home's access points with style and conveys modernity, giving the right impression about how well cared for the property has been.
For example, wooden front doors in rich stains complement most architectural styles, from modern farmhouses to stately period homes, and they add a luxe feel to any property. Plus, they can easily be painted if the new buyers decide to change up the look later on. Glass inset doors also create an open, inviting impression and a sleek exterior and allow plenty of light into the garage space.
If an outdated garage dominates the home's street view, upgrading to a more stylish door can pay off. Metal or fibreglass doors in muted tones resist dings better than wood and require less upkeep which can be a selling point for buyers. Consider the home's characteristics when selecting materials, colours and designs to choose a door that blends in seamlessly with the rest of the exterior.
Remember, new doors must fit properly to function well and look sharp, so hiring a professional to replace and install is well worth the extra expense for the best possible result. Replacing dated doors along with trims and hardware ensures proper fit while showing attention to detail, and truly freshens up any home instantly.
Landscaping to boost your home’s value
Well-designed landscaping can truly frame a home and make a smashing first impression on buyers, and has been well documented as a way to improve the value of a home. Investing in quality trees, shrubs, flowers and other greenery around the borders of your property highlights the home as an alluring centrepiece. The right plants, materials and layout also help draw the eye towards your home's best assets.
Incorporating hard landscaping features like pathways, fences, landscape lighting and garden structures brings functionality while elevating a garden. Thoughtful walkways guide visitors to your front door and highlight spaces to gather, and attractive lighting illuminates the space for safer walkways in the evening while adding a cosy ambience. Each element demonstrates intentional design and a commitment to both aesthetics and practicality.
Buyers want to envision enjoyable hours spent relaxing or enjoying the garden without substantial upkeep needs. Keeping the lawn vibrant green, edges sharply defined, beds neatly mulched and the garden routinely tended to ensure your home makes a fantastic impression and always looks its best, no matter the season. Taking this diligence with the front garden especially, and any other highly visible areas, shows buyers what they can expect should they put in an offer.
Achieving your best return on investment
When making upgrades that boost resale value, it's important to prioritise areas that make the biggest impression on potential buyers. Focusing on visible spaces over rarely seen zones, provides more return on investment and ensures that the price you list at is seen as fair by buyers.
The front garden and front façade of the home is what makes that pivotal first impression. Well-manicured garden beds, an inviting entryway and street appeal draw buyers in for a closer look. Time and money spent framing this area of the property with plants and improving the entryway is seldom wasted. Comparatively, back gardens offer less immediate influence, so aim to make enhancements that have broad buyer appeal rather than over-improving to specialised tastes.
Premium materials and intentional plant choices resonate with buyers but be cautious of overdoing upgrades can over-capitalise the home compared to neighbourhood norms. Work with local experts to strike the right balance for your market so you don’t wind up out-pricing yourself from the local market.
Enhancing your home’s kerb appeal and expanding its liveable square footage into the garden can significantly boost resale value. When the time comes to sell up, a beautifully landscaped, intentionally designed exterior makes a fantastic first impression and conveys that the home is move-in ready. Being strategic with which projects to take on ensures upgrades provide a timely return at resale. Kerb appeal and practical spaces give you the highest return for your investment, be it time, money or both.
Click on the link to see some of the properties we have for sale with great kerb appeal!