29/10/2018
First impressions are everything. If your property is not quite up to the first stage, you could not only miss a potential sale (or a tenant), but you could also lose tens of thousands of dollars in the eye. of an appraiser, which would directly affect the construction of your portfolio.
Experts agree that making a good first impression is a crucial factor in attracting buyers. Studies have shown that a high percentage of buyers decide whether or not to buy a house before even arriving home. That's why it's essential to make a good impression by creating a welcoming home vision. This is called the "stop call".
"Improving the appearance of your home can be as simple as a fresh coat of paint, a new mailbox, an entry door and a little garden maintenance. but these simple improvements are often overlooked, "says Jane Slack-Smith of Your Property. Success.
The best way to start improving your appeal is to leave the property and walk down the street as if you were a potential buyer. Discover the neighborhood as if you saw it for the first time.
When you arrive home, what do you notice first? Take a notebook and list everything your eyes are attracting. Is the garden overgrown? Are there cracks in the cement? Note everything because these are your opportunities for improvement.
It's not necessary to have a huge budget to have an impact on the brake's appeal, but in fact, improving the appeal of your home can be very profitable.
First stage: painting or rendering the facade
A tired facade is the quickest way to deter a buyer, but it is relatively easy to revive an old design.
A simple painting job on a facade is a simple way of lightening the overall look of the house.
It is also important to replace broken siding and broken planks. The rendering is a great way to change the texture of the house and modernize the design. Rendering starts at around $ 40 per square meter – to calculate the area in square meters, simply multiply the length of each wall by the height.
Summit Point
Consider what your wall is made of. You may only need to make the front of the house, not the side, to reduce costs: it all depends on what buyers can see from the street.
Step Two: Improve Landscaping
By installing some architectural plants such as cordylines and black stained mulch, you can achieve an elegant landscaping and give a real boost to the attractiveness of your home.
Re-plant sturdy, low-maintenance plants to give your yard a beautiful, healthy appearance and minimize tenant maintenance.
Examples include perennial flowers such as lavender, shrubs and native trees.
If your budget does not include new plants, just work with what you have. Cut the overhanging plants and clean the existing flowerbeds.
Tip
Use the design services of your local nurseries.
These are often offered for free or at minimal cost, at the end of which they provide you with a landscaping design plan and a list of facilities.
Step Three: Refresh the Gateway
The first impression to approach your home can make all the difference between a buyer who would like it and hate it.
It is therefore very important that the entrance of your house is clean, bright and welcoming.
Your doorway is crucial in this regard. If she is old and abused, it is not just a problem for the appearance of your house; it is also a potential security problem. It pays to invest in a new door, whether you choose single doors or opaque doors.
At a minimum, consider getting a new knocker and handle if you like the look of the original door.
Summit Point
A new coat of paint or a new finish can immediately give the impression of an old door. However, it is important to make sure that the door closes and locks properly.
Fourth Stage: Make the Windows Twinkle
Windows that clearly offer an unobstructed view of nature from outside the house are an important part of the first impression left by your property. They show a potential buyer that the house allows plenty of natural light.
This may seem obvious, but a thorough cleaning of your windows, both inside and out, will make your home look loved and neat. Make sure they are free of spider webs and bird droppings and use a clean squeegee to prevent streaks.
Do not forget to clean fixed blinds or shutters and repair fittings that may not work.
Summit Point
Large windows are ideal for a property, but be sure to preserve your privacy with well-placed blinds and curtains. Windows must be well sealed to prevent leaks, especially in bad weather.
Fifth step: install a good quality mailbox
An old rusty mailbox will certainly not bring any additional points to your facade.
Choose a well-designed mailbox that matches the front of your house.
A simple fence enclosure will do the trick, or you can opt for an integrated brick mailbox if your budget allows it. New house numbers can add an extra personal touch.
A mailbox may seem like an old-fashioned item, but the renovations are about the little details and what they can add to or hurt your property.
The accessories in your garden should complete everything else before the front door.
Summit Point
Choose mailboxes with weather-resistant slots to avoid soggy envelopes.
Locking the door should be a major consideration so that your mail does not fall into the wrong hands.
Step Six: Clean the Alley
Cracked concrete, oil stains and discolored gravel are expected on a well-used driveway, but can become a source of visual pollution.
Seal cracks and clean oil stains with a garage cleaner and use a high-pressure hose or degreaser. The end result seems not only pristine, but you will feel much cleaner!
If your driveway needs a little more love, you may want to consider a spray coating. In this case, a stencil is applied and a mixture of concrete is sprayed on the top of your existing concrete. There are many models and colors to choose from, and its appearance can have a considerable impact.
Summit Point
A quality pipe is a good investment for a property. It would be wise to obtain a hose with a long guarantee, one that is made to last, especially in the sun, and that does not bend and muffle easily.
Step Seven: Reassemble the Jazz Entrance
If your home has a porch paved or concrete, consider cleaning it and painting it with the help of masonry paint.
If your entry is wood or decking, you should consider treating the wood with decking oil, such as flax seed.
If the material requires more work, you can strip it completely and color it again. If you want to make a major change, the wood stains are of different colors and can significantly alter the look of the wood. Do not forget to check if the boards are broken and replace anything squealing.
Summit Point
After applying a stain, it is important to maintain the wood surfaces with deck oil to seal and protect them from heat, scratches and water. Flax oils also work on concrete and stone floors.
Step eight: close it in
The fence is the gateway to the house and the way you treat the bridge can reflect the way you treat the property.
Replacing an old rusty fence with a beautifully painted picket fence can really showcase the property. Even if you do not have a fence at the beginning, its assembly is a great way to add an aesthetic element while strengthening the security of the property.
You can find fences of different brands, such as aluminum and wood. Aluminum fences require little maintenance, even though they may not withstand bad weather. On the other hand, wood is very popular for its strength and safety.
Summit Point
The quality of the wood you choose for a fence dictates how long it will last and how long it will last. So make sure the type of wood and its finish are strong enough for the conditions in your area.
CASE STUDY
Russell is a maintenance engineer in a day-by-day theme park, but he took five weeks of annual vacation to attack the entire renovation of the house with a focus on first impressions – and the results are staggering
Russell knew that his investment property had potential, even if it was the "painful thumb" of lush, tropical Queensland Street. His typical Queensland weather house was hidden behind a 10-foot hedge fortress, an imposing tree and a bazaar of old bricks and yard waste. Given the state of the art, he knew that he could not get the rent statement that he was looking for.
"I had to present the house in an attractive way for all potentials
tenants, but it also required little maintenance and, of course, within the budget.
Russell spent five weeks renovating the interior of the house and was confident he could rent it. He just needed to lift the call for people to walk through the door.
In half a day, Russell was able to turn the outside of his house, the ugliest property on the street, into a valuable investment. He removed most of the foliage at low altitude and cut the hedges up to four feet.
"The neighbors were shocked when I removed the hedges. I left the front yard for the end, so that when I cleared all the lean foliage, it turned into a great revelation of the whole house. "
Russell did not need a big budget to lift the lure of his house, he only needed a chainsaw, shovel, and good old hard yakka.
"At first, I did not know what to do to improve the house. I had originally planned to empty the whole site and install new factories, but the budget was limited, "he says.
"So with the help of my agent, I decided to use what I already had and clean it. It was definitely the right decision and it is now the ideal garden requiring little maintenance for my tenants. "
The facade of the house itself did not require much work because it had been painted before the purchase; However, Russell reworked the paint on the windows and railings to make it even more alive.
In the end, Russell proved that it was possible to lift the lure of the sidewalk with nothing more than two liters of paint, three loads of green trash and a morning of hard work.
Jane Slack-Smith is a best-selling author,
media commentator and creator of the
FREE video course: How to find, renovate and take advantage of degraded properties.
For more information visit: freerenocourse.com.au
Disclaimer: All mentioned products and prices are correct at the time of printing. The advice contained in this article is provided as general information only and should not be considered as financial advice. Make sure you speak to a qualified professional before making an investment decision.
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