Buying, selling & letting advice - Front

Why is the front of a house important when selling?

If you're selling, make sure it looks smart. The front of a house is a statement to the world about how you live.

Driveways

Many front gardens have been concreted over and turned into off-road parking spaces - in the north-east of England almost half the front gardens are now paved...

Front Garden

If you're lucky enough to have some space at the front of your property, make the most of it. When designing a garden area, think of it essentially as a floor...

Roofs

Although they are high up, roofs are noticeable. If yours looks like it is at the end of its life, it can send alarm signals to potential buyers...

Front Doors and House Numbers

The front door is a great place to make a big statement. Bear in mind it’s the only part of the house that people will stand and stare at very close up for several minutes at a time....

Railings and Gates

You're only likely to get your money back in the most gentrified areas of towns where housing costs are so high...

Front Walls & Fences

Should you put up a garden fence or a wall?

Pebbledash and Exterior painting

If you're painting a façade in a terrace, look at the houses next door....

Render & Stucco

Traditionally, renders were applied to cover low-grade building materials such as porous brick or rubble stone as well as to protect walls from the elements...

Façades

In terms of square feet, most of a property’s façade is made up of walls....

Security lighting

Security lighting is a great idea, not just to deter burglars, but also to provide a welcoming light outside the front door and stop people tripping over in the dark.

French doors, more correctly called French windows, are very effective at bringing the outdoors in. More traditionally, they opened onto the garden from the rear drawing room, but now they’re a feature in many kitchen/dining areas.