UPGRADING curb appeal is the answer to affordably increasing house value before selling, says Collie & Tierney director Ben Ridley.
"(The front of the house) is really the most important thing," Mr Ridley says. "If the house is untidy and unkempt out the front, they're going to be looking for other issues or other things that are untidy and unkept that need to be done."
Mr Ridley said first impressions were important in the housing market and judgment would be swift.
"The frame of mind as to how they're going to walk in and approach a home is going to be quite negative because they're going to be thinking, well, there's going to be more that needs to be done on the inside.
"So if the gardens are looking a bit tired, just some little basic landscaping and pruning of trees.
"Landscaping such as mulching garden beds or making them clearly visible and easily seen, you know – trying to brighten up the grass by working on getting it a little bit greener if it's dead or patchy, and just trying to make that first impression or that first drive up of the property to look as best as it possibly can."
Sellers who cannot paint the outside of the house could consider the option of pressure-washing the building, Mr Ridley said.
This can do an effective job in making the house look cared for.
If painting is an option for sellers, but they don't feel like they can paint the whole outside of the house, then Mr Ridley suggests looking for smaller places to paint that will make the house appear tidier, such as the eaves and downpipes.
Steve Cooper, of Wentworth and District Real Estate, said decluttering was his No.1 tip for making the house sell for more.
"Clutter can make a big room look very small," Mr Cooper said. "If you don't need it in the room, then get rid of it or store it somewhere."
Mr Ridley backs this up.
"If you can see more skirting board within a house or a room, it actually makes the room appear larger and it gives that illusion of a space."
Mr Ridley says there are cheap replacements for things around the house that look old, such as curtains. He suggests old lace curtains can be replaced with cheap Spotlight versions.
But there is no need to spend lots of money on renovating before sale.
Spending on improvements should always consider the return, he says, with aim of doubling the return on improvements at sale.
"You should get us in beforehand so you understand what the value of the house is and what it can grow to," he says.
"If someone is spending $50,000, then for these changes to be worthwhile they really want to be seeing $100,000 in return."
