First impressions count.

It’s a cliché, we know. But when you’re selling a home, it’s also completely true.

Before a buyer has admired the kitchen, discovered the beautiful view from the bedroom or mentally positioned their sofa in the lounge, they’ve already formed an opinion of your property.

And it happens before they’ve even stepped through the front door.

Autumn can be a gorgeous time to sell, but falling leaves, darker evenings and slightly less enthusiastic gardens mean a little extra attention outside can make a big difference.

So, here’s our autumn kerb appeal checklist.

1. Clear the leaves

Let’s start with the obvious one.

Crunchy autumn leaves are lovely on a Sunday walk. A soggy pile of them covering the path to your front door? Slightly less charming.

A quick sweep before photography and viewings instantly makes the outside of your home look better maintained.

2. Give the front door some love

Your front door is one of the first things buyers see up close.

Give it a clean, polish the hardware and make sure any peeling or tired paintwork isn’t letting the rest of the house down.

You don’t necessarily need to repaint it — sometimes a proper clean makes an enormous difference.

3. Don’t abandon the garden just yet

Summer might be over, but that doesn’t mean the garden gets the rest of the year off.

Cutting the lawn, trimming back anything unruly and removing dead plants helps buyers see the garden rather than the work they think they’ll need to do.

A couple of attractive autumn planters can also bring some colour back to patios and entrances.

4. Check your exterior lighting

As the evenings draw in, exterior lighting becomes increasingly important.

Make sure bulbs are working and entrances are well lit, particularly if you’re hosting late-afternoon or evening viewings.

Good lighting isn’t just practical — it makes a property feel welcoming.

5. Clean the windows

We’re estate agents. Of course we’re going to talk about light.

Clean windows help maximise the natural light coming into your home and make the exterior look smarter at the same time.

It’s a small job with a surprisingly big impact.

6. Hide the bins

We all have them. Nobody particularly wants them starring in the hero photograph of their future home.

If possible, tuck bins neatly away for photography and viewings.

The same goes for hoses, broken plant pots, abandoned children’s toys and the collection of miscellaneous objects that somehow accumulates beside every British shed.

7. Walk across the road and look back

This is possibly our favourite tip.

Once you live somewhere, you stop seeing it in quite the same way.

So walk out of your house, cross the road and really look at it.

What’s the first thing you notice?

That’s roughly the view your buyers are going to get.

You might suddenly spot the wonky plant pot, overflowing gutter or hedge that’s staging a takeover of the front window.

You don’t need perfection

Preparing a property for sale doesn’t mean spending thousands of pounds making everything immaculate.

Very often, it’s the little things that make the biggest difference.

Clean, tidy, bright and cared for will beat unnecessarily expensive improvements every time.

And if you’re wondering what is — and isn’t — worth doing before putting your home on the market, ask us.

The James Du Pavey team can advise you on how we’d present and market your home to make the very best first impression.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I improve my home’s kerb appeal before selling?
Start with simple jobs such as clearing paths, cutting lawns, trimming plants, cleaning windows and tidying the front door. You don’t necessarily need to spend lots of money — a clean, cared-for exterior can make a significant difference.

Does kerb appeal really affect house viewings?
First impressions can influence how a buyer feels about a property before they enter it. Good presentation won’t change the fundamentals of your home, but it can help buyers approach their viewing with a positive first impression.

Should I spend money improving my garden before selling?
Not necessarily. General tidying, mowing, pruning and removing clutter can often be enough. Before undertaking expensive landscaping, it can be worth asking your estate agent whether the investment is likely to benefit your sale.

How should I prepare my garden for autumn property photography?
Clear fallen leaves, remove dead plants, tidy furniture and bins, cut the lawn where appropriate and make patios and pathways look clean and accessible. The aim is to help buyers see the space and imagine how they could use it.