Preparing Your Home's Exterior for Sale: A Checklist

Estate agents consistently report that properties with well-presented exteriors sell faster and achieve higher prices. The exterior is the first thing potential buyers see — both in listing photographs and on viewings — and a negative first impression is hard to overcome regardless of how impressive the interior is. Investing in exterior presentation before selling is almost always worthwhile.

Start with the driveway and front path. These are the first surfaces buyers walk across and the most prominent in exterior photographs. A professionally cleaned driveway looks vastly different from a neglected one. If your driveway is block paving, also consider whether the jointing sand needs replacing — sunken or missing joints make even a clean driveway look tired.

Don't forget the roofline. Clean white fascias and soffits, cleared and properly functioning gutters, and clean bargeboards make the whole property look well-maintained. These are easy for buyers to notice and they form a strong impression of how well the property has been looked after overall. Have them cleaned and checked at the same time as the rest of the exterior work.