Does Your Home Have Curb Appeal?
When preparing your home to sell – you need curb appeal! Here are some tips to help you get ready!
To have great Curb Appeal, you must look at your home through “buyer’s eyes.” Buyer’s eyes give you a realistic view of your home, enabling you to ask questions such as, Is this what Buyers want to see? Does your home make a strong impact and encourage a sale, or prematurely have people cross it off their list?
As you probably guessed, the exterior of your home is the first impression people get when pulling up. What is your first impression as driving up to the house, as you walk to the front door, and as you open the front door? If your home is polished, people cant wait to get inside to see what’s next.
A well manicured yard is paramount! If the budget allows, add some flowering plants and bushes; even a pot or two on the front porch beaming with different flowers and plants. Try putting borders around trees and filling with flowers too. Always add in fresh rock, soil or mulch where needed. Patch dead grass areas and kill the weeds.
If the front yard makes the first impression, back yards leave the lasting impression. Backyards actually rank in the top 3 “want list” of potential Buyers – so your’s needs to be inviting and somewhere people would want to relax, spend time and entertain. Work with what you have. I would suggest adding some planters, plant flower borders around trees, add new cushions to furniture, colorful umbrella and if your patio is standard grey concrete then add a bright outdoor rug.
Making repairs is pertinent whether its functional or cosmetic. Fix the cracked stucco, dent in the garage door or squeaky front door. Cleaning is also important. You should always clean the front door and windows. Clean the cobwebs off the lighting fixtures and hose off the dirt on the stucco or siding. Make sure there are no grease spots on the driveway. Home Depot has some excellent degreasers and cleaning supplies.
Give a fresh coat of paint to the front door and even the window and door trim. A brand new shiny front door handle is important for that first touch.
Get rid of the old junk that may be in the side or back yard. Catholic Charities and Habitat for Humanity will pick up most everything. Its also a good time to clean out the garage and make it clean and organized. Have a garage sale and make extra money to make your repairs and improvements.
Home buying decisions happen quickly and it starts from the moment potential buyers pull up to the front of your home. If it looks like work from the start, they might immediately conclude that its not for them. Welcome your buyers with an engagingly positive first impression with an immaculate yard, flowers, fresh paint, and a clean exterior. If this first impression is succeeded by positive impressions throughout, the house is as good as sold!
Stacy Sheeley Homes offers free staging advise when listing your home with us. Our Seller’s Guide
For more information on our staging program, visit our website: Stage Your Home to Sell
