Of course, we know that today’s home buyer is almost always going to see our listed property online first. That is, after all, where over 90 percent of home buying adventures start. The listing photographs of your home as they appear online will introduce your property to thousands of prospective buyers. The question is what will they see? If you ask an expert in Sydney home staging, that all-important exterior image of your home is critically important. It is the introduction; the first impression we’ve all heard about. It’s the only chance many of us will have to make a favourable first impression. What can we do to improve on it?

Here are a few do’s and don’ts from the Street Appeal file.

DO make an effort to make your front entrance look welcoming. Paint the door and other details a fresh colour. Set out a pot or two of geraniums or other low-maintenance plants and even a smart outdoor chair if you have the space.

DON’T forget to make sure your address numbers are easily read from the street. Add new ones that stand out if yours are not spectacular.

DO make sure the exterior paint on your house is not faded or peeling. Remember, colour has a huge impact on potential buyers. Paint that’s in bad shape or faded into oblivion makes a statement to a potential buyer something like this: “I’m obviously neglected. If you think I look terrible, you should see how poorly maintained the plumbing is!”

DON’T go crazy with landscaping. In the real estate and Sydney home staging world, we know that today’s largest buying segment, the millennials, have no wish to spend their weekends puttering about the yard. They would probably be wind-surfing. Adding tonnes of flowers and high-maintenance landscape features means slavery to most of these buyers.

DO make sure that all exterior shrubbery is trimmed well and cut back from the house for an image of improved security. Do not leave burglars and peeping Tom’s a place to conceal themselves and your prospective buyer will perceive “this house is safe”.

DO make certain all windows are spotlessly clean. Remove lime-scale build-up from hard water with a commercial lime dissolver that can be found at the hardware shop. You want those windows to glimmer and shine like mirrors. (This also works to enhance the rooms on the inside where curtains can be pulled back to frame your lovely views.)

DO power wash brick or stucco to remove any dirt or signs of moss/mildew.

DO attend to the roof as well. People who intend to spend big money on housing worry a lot about the condition of the roof. If there are broken tiles, have them replaced. If there is moss or lichen growing there, remove it.

DON’T forget cracks in the driveway or sidewalk. These can be repaired fairly easily – there are even kits to help you do this like a pro. Just follow the directions. Stains on the driveway? Clean them up. You can use kitty-litter to clean most oil stains. If they are stubborn ones, there are commercial cleaners used by garages that will do the trick. Again, just follow the instructions.

DON’T forget the trees. If you have a sick tree, call in an expert. Nobody wants to buy a home that will soon be crushed by a falling tree. Sometimes a bit of trimming can save a tree and trees, when they are healthy, are a big selling point. (Trees talk too. They say words like safe, healthy, grounded, and other comforting things to buyers. Let them work as sales tools.)

DO take a can of spray paint to your mail box if it’s faded. If it is worn out, put up a new one. Add handsome, easily read numbers and you’re in business.

Put your best foot forward.  In taking your home’s street appeal seriously do whatever it takes to spruce up your first impression. What your house says about itself from the outside hints at what can be found on the inside. Sydney home staging experts say that buyers absolutely read the signs from the kerb – making a good impression begins here.

Photo credit: Image courtesy of Urban Front.