Hi folks,

Even though winter is upon us and the market is quieter than peak times houses still come to the market even though the outside doesn’t look as good as spring/summer so I thought I would offer some thoughts on focusing on winter presentation. Many people concentrate on interiors when putting their house up for sale. For good reason, the inside is where purchasers will be living and sleeping. But overlooking the exterior of the house can undo some of the good work home sellers have done inside when they de-clutter, paint and generally pay attention to maintenance.

Purchasers start making judgements from the minute they step out of the car and a bad first impression can stay with them when they go inside. Untidy or damaged gutters, cobwebs or overgrown gardens brimming with weeds, might just make purchasers decide you don’t care about your home and make them wonder how good your attention to detail is in the areas they can’t see such as plumbing and wiring. Cleanliness is important, even people who don’t mind their own dirt and clutter usually notice other peoples. Before putting the house on the market, stand at the curb and have a critical look. This is the first view your purchasers will see. Does it measure up? Here are seven things that are easy to do and will make a difference to the exterior of your house.

• Sweep paths and decks.
• Clean gutters, window frames and eaves.
• Don’t forget to wash outdoor or deck furniture if you have it -in winter it is easy to overlook if you’re not using it like you do in summer. If it is grungy and decrepit, borrow or buy something that suits your home. It’s not expensive in the scheme of things.
• Clear away odds and ends -even those that are lurking in the less visited parts of the garden. Remember purchasers will see EVERYTHING. Old plant pots and broken toys or tool, even the half-finished projects or building materials that look like works in progress to you, all these spoil the look of your house.
• Organise for high pressure hoses to clean mould or moss from brick work or stone.
• Invest in a bit of mulching -it makes garden beds look tidy and the property look nurtured and loved.
• Put in some colour where you know people will notice it. You can use pots if that is easier. Just make sure they are kept watered as drooping plants are worse than no plants at all.

There is no guarantee that with all these things done that the next person viewing will buy but remember you are in competition with a lot of properties and any advantage will help!