I often refer to the street front view of your property as being like the cover of a book – if people don’t like the exterior, they’re unlikely to want to look inside. So, how is the façade of your home? Are there a few things that need improving?
Here are some common turn-offs and easy ways to rectify them.
AIR CONDITIONING UNITS
Great big blocky air conditioning units do nothing for the aesthetic appeal of a house so, if possible, have them placed at the side of the house or in a less prominent position. If they must go at the front, you might be able to get creative using a landscaping feature to hide it. Alternatively, you could get a casing made of slats to cover it. It will still get airflow, and once you give it a coat of paint to match the colour scheme of the house, it won’t be so noticeable.
DOWNPIPES
Another thing that looks better at the side of the house is the downpipes. You may even be able to set them towards the back so they aren’t visible at all from the street. However, if moving downpipes is not an option, painting them to match the colour scheme of the house will help them blend in a little better.
GARDEN HOSES
No matter what you do with garden hoses, they are never a good look for the façade of your house. Reeling them away makes them look neater, but for a less visible yet still accessible option, store them at the side of the house.
LANDSCAPING
A neglected garden or yard can detract from your property, but sometimes it’s a struggle to find the time to maintain a hedge or rake up leaves and branches, isn’t it? Rather than let your landscaping and gardens get out of hand, you might want to consider changing or replacing the messy or time-consuming parts with something more manageable. It may make more sense to trim back or chop down a tree or to replace a hedge with something more manageable.
CARPORT
An open carport or garage often becomes a dumping ground for all those odds and ends you need but don’t really know where to store. If your garage is long enough, it’s probably worth investing in some storage options. Not only will your property look neater, but often the storage is lockable too. An added bonus is your items will not deteriorate as quickly as they would when left to the elements.
DRIVEWAY
Older concrete driveways with a grass strip down the middle date a property. A couple of ways you can easily improve and modernise them is to rip up the grass and replace it with a combination of pavers and pebbles, or Mondo grass and pavers/pebbles.
FENCE
Because a fence defines and frames a property, it’s important to keep your fence in good order and looking great. An unappealing fence can bring the whole tone of your property down, so if your fence is looking a bit worse for wear, consider giving it a coat of paint or replacing the entire thing. Just remember to visually link it to the design of the house.
As a general rule, if the fence is over 1.8 metres high, it can make your property look defensive. This can be more pronounced if the house is close to the fence. Of course, some properties can get away with a tall fence, but if yours isn’t one of them and you want to it look more welcoming, you might want to lower the fence to 1.5 metres.
GENERAL MAINTENANCE
Anything that is shabby, untidy or not maintained well is going to reflect poorly on the property as a whole, so have a look at the façade of your house to see what needs a bit of love. Things that commonly get out of hand are leaking or rusting gutters, peeling paint, trims that need painting, and general driveway maintenance.
Remedying and beautifying those areas as well as anything else that looks out of place or untidy will vastly improve the appeal of your home.