It happens all too often: you’ve been staging beautiful furniture everywhere, yet when it comes time for the open home, people are turning away before they even step foot inside. This is because curb appeal is a major part of staging a home. The home’s façade is the first thing anyone sees, and it will be a real decision maker for a lot of people.

Hiring a home stager can only take your curb appeal so far, as your exterior is exposed to the weather, and will always require a little bit of TLC before any staging job can be done. In this article, we’ll tell you how you can spend a little bit of time on the most important parts of your home’s exterior, to make your whole house pop!

Make your garden look inviting

The pathway leading up to your house is just as important to keep sparkly and fresh as your house itself. Luckily, there are some quick and easy ways to get your front garden sorted out. You can start by simply mowing the lawns and trimming back any greenery that makes the space look a bit like a jungle. Aim to have as much of the front lawn on show as possible, as this can make the space look expansive and open – an area that families will be able to see their kids playing on. Spend some time pruning low hanging branches and messy hedges that may distract from it. Also, don’t forget to make sure your letterbox is clearly numbered! 

Add some greenery

Greenery isn’t all bad, though. Adding contained plants such as large potted plants and trees can have immense benefits for your curb appeal. For example, florals can add a splash of colour to an otherwise muted exterior, and plants will bring vibrance and life into a space that may not be as fresh as your interior.

You can easily stage a porch just by adding a couple of pot plants in symmetry on either side of the doorway. Alternatively, taller potted plants can line driveways and paths as a form of makeshift hedge. It’s important that any plants you add are arranged in a tidy fashion, trimmed back, and not obstructing any pathways. Greenery can so easily look messy, and this can bring your overall appeal down.

Conceal signs of age

We know that giving your house a whole new paint job is probably way out of your time frame, so we aren’t suggesting that. However, obvious signs of age on the exterior of a home can be a big deal breaker for potential buyers. On the flip side, if people can see that you’ve made an effort to keep your exterior fresh and new, they can have confidence that the rest of the house will be ready to move into without problems.

So, how do you easily conceal signs of age? For a start, get in there with a scrubber and try to clean any grime and dirt off your front exterior. Then, polish up the door knobs and oil any hinges so they don’t squeak, as this can make a massive difference. A lot of old, New Zealand homes have windows that can easily jam, and if that’s the case for you, you can leave them open during viewings so that people are less inclined to try to use them.

Don’t forget the finishing touches

Just the same as home stagers will make beautiful vignettes for your interior spaces, they will want to add some finishing touches to your exterior space. A simple patio chair or decorative accessories can be all your space needs. The beauty of using professional home stagers is that at this stage of the process, they can identify exactly what your exterior needs to make the space look absolutely perfect in the eyes of potential buyers.