Why is Autumn such an underrated time of year to sell? Nature looks a treat, there are fewer homes to compete with, and if you want to be sure of moving in spring, now’s the time to start.
Autumn gets a bad rap as a season for selling your home. It’s always pushed back behind the blossom of spring, the sunshine of summer, and the festive magic of winter.
Weekly round up on what’s driving the Fife Property market including a look at recent listings, sales and coming soon:
Article, Podcast and TV Shows written and produced this week are:
FPTV (EP 165) AUTUMN KERB APPEAL: Top seasonal tips for dazzling photos and first impressions
Autumn is the season of magic and mayhem for selling your home. Jim Parker and Richard Cook provide hints and tips so that your homes will make a lasting first impression for all the right reasons.
UK House Price Index Scotland and Fife: August 2023
Jim Parker provides a breakdown of the Scottish House Price Index report for August 2023 and gives his thoughts on how this could impact the Fife property market for buyers and sellers.
Watch out for the Wealth Creation Show on Mondays @ 12.30pm live on these channels:
EP 94: The Wealth Creation Show: Finding Your Sense of Purpose in Life
Finding purpose is a process that requires plenty of self-reflection, listening to others, and finding where your passions lie.
Perhaps you are feeling disconnected, discontent and struggling with establishing your true meaning.
Asking yourself why do a need to have a sense of purpose?
Or how do I know when I have found my true purpose?
Luckily, you don’t need to head back to school to understand this as Lettings Director, Richard Cook and one of the UK’s most successful property investors, Jim Parker are on hand to discuss
If you are a private client of ours, including the ongoing support you can also receive one to one mentoring on portfolio building. Please contact us to richard.cook@fifeproperties.co.uk
This is all about accelerating your wealth in 2023.
*We must point out that we are not financial advisors, and this is only our opinion of what we would do. Investments can go down as well as up so if you do want professional advice from a qualified advisor, please contact us direct and we will put you in touch with someone.
Autumn is the season of magic and mayhem for selling your home.
On the one hand, the light is lovely at this time of year, and when the sun hits the leaves on the trees, they take on a golden glow that gives your photos a shimmering lift.
But on the other, the weather can play havoc with your front-of-house presentation as the prospect of overflowing gutters, littered lawns and withering plant life becomes real.
Whether online or in person, the outside of your home is the first thing most buyers will see. It can generate enquiries, set the tone for viewings, and give someone enough confidence to offer.
With that in mind, our blog this week is all about brushing up every little corner of your autumn kerb appeal, including:
Why kerb appeal matters so much.
Paths, plants and parking.
Walls, windows and woodwork.
Roofs and rainwater goods.
Focussing on your front door.
So, if you’re planning to sell your home this autumn, you’re in exactly the right place to get your kerb appeal on point as a magnet for the best buyers around.
WHY KERB APPEAL MATTERS
First impressions are formed within seconds, and one study found that 93% of buyers pass judgment on a property from its outside appearance, so your kerb appeal matters in spades.
The front of your home comes in for plenty of scrutiny from buyers (arguably more than any of the rooms) as they look for signs of neglect and possible problems and expense.
Buyers visit in different ways, including initial drive-by, arriving for viewings, chatting outside when they leave, returning for a second look, and checking the location at another time of day.
Despite the saying telling us not to, people do judge a book by its cover, so you may as well encourage it by making your home look irresistible.
In short, think about kerb appeal as the poster for a movie, the artwork for an album, or the packaging for a product: it’s the visual gateway to your home that can turn a passing glance into serious interest.
PATHS, PLANTS AND PARKING
With shorter days, it’s easy to miss autumn’s gradual toll on your front garden, particularly when you’re rushing to work or doing the school run. But buyers will notice, so it pays to keep the following in check.
If you have a driveway, give it a jet wash to take years off its age. And if it looks a bit bare and hard, place some narrow planters along the edges to soften them with nature.
Remove any moss on stone or brick pathways to make them less slippery and more visible, and trim back any straggly grass or foliage.
Rake or sweep up leaves and debris every week, dead-head brown flowers and leaves, and inject a dash of autumnal colour with some seasonal blooms.
If you’re too busy or simply not up for the task, it’s worth employing someone to keep everything tidy. And for a picture-perfect welcome at any time of year, put those wheelie bins away as well.
WALLS, WINDOWS AND WOODWORK
Cracks can look beautiful in pottery and oil paintings, but not so much on the outside of your home, so pop outside for a quick maintenance audit to see if anything needs some attention.
Fill and make good any cracks and holes in brickwork or render, wash off salt marks, and paint over historic weather stains.
Check for any chipped, blistering or ageing paintwork and give it a good sanding down, followed by a fresh coat of weatherproof paint.
Clean your windows thoroughly, including the glass and frames, and consider placing lamps or candles on the inside ledges to dress them with a warming glow.
Buyers often associate exterior repairs with great expense and hidden problems, but many jobs are easy to fix, and the cost is more than covered by selling faster at a higher price.
ROOFS AND RAINWATER GOODS
With autumn comes rain, and a watertight home is priority number one. So while there’s still time to get ahead of the weather, use this checklist to spot and solve possible problems before they turn into drama.
Look up at the roof for any slipped tiles or slates, and to see if any flashings have come loose or need repairing.
Check the gutters to see if any have become blocked with fallen leaves, nests or blown-around litter, and whether any sections have come loose.
Do the same for downpipes and ensure their outlets are clear along with the drain covers they pour into.
Perhaps it goes without saying that for any leaks in the past, you should make good any stains or damage to remove the thought in the minds of buyers of expensive surprises ahead.
FOCUS ON YOUR FRONT DOOR
Just like a new pair of shoes can add the finishing touch to an outfit, your front door can be the icing on the cake of your kerb appeal as a friendly invitation for your viewers to step inside.
Exterior paint comes in all sorts of awesome colours, from a smouldering charcoal grey to a joyous sunshine yellow, or classic British tones like poppy red and racing green.
If your front door is beyond saving with paint and needs replacing, think about context and stick with the original character to maintain the most authentic look.
Clean and polish any metal door furniture like letterboxes, locks, knockers and knobs to complement all your efforts.
Finally, never underestimate the power of a glowing porch lamp with a soft-tone bulb. Not only for a warm and wonderful welcome, but also for viewers to find their way in the darker evenings.
How does your home’s kerb appeal compare?
If you’re looking to sell your home in Fife this autumn, we’d love to help you maximise its value and wow everyone who comes to view from the moment they arrive outside.
Autumn gets a bad rap as a season for selling your home. It’s always pushed back behind the blossom of spring, the sunshine of summer, and the festive magic of winter.
But Autumn is what you might call the hidden gem of seasons to sell. There’s still plenty of activity from Fife buyers, the leaves are turning into a bold and beautiful display of colour, and there are no stressful deadlines like Christmas and school years to meet. Instead, Autumn can be the most relaxed season for starting and planning a move.
Autumn gets a bad rap as a season for selling your home. It’s always pushed back behind the blossom of spring, the sunshine of summer, and the festive magic of winter.