Curb Appeal Whether a house shopper is viewing homes online or driving through a neighborhood, their first impression of a home is a lasting one. Sixty-three percent of home buyers will take a second look at a home based on curb appeal alone. Does is take hiring a professional landscaper or the services of a lawn maintenance crew to wow a potential buyer? No, but it does take work. If you are able to find friends or family to help you get your yard into a photo-worthy state, then your curb appeal project should be fairly economical to do. Here are some tips to what you can do to improve the appearance of your home that will catch a buyer’s eye. Take a digital photo of your home before any work is done to help you “see” what others see. The front yard, the front door, the sides and backyard are the areas you should photograph. Store the images to view with the mindset of a buyer. Write down everything you notice in each shot that would deter buyers and also the things that would attract buyers. Remember that you are accustomed to the appearance of your home’s exterior and the yard, so be objective as possible. How often do you walk across the street to examine your rooftop? Now is the time to do so because the roof is important to buyers. If the roof needs replaced, it is best not to market your home until it is done. It will increase the sale-ability of your home without an interested party forming a negative opinion of your home. There are also safe and easy ways to clean your roof for a fresher look without pressure washing. Consider the cost of cleaning versus shingle replacement because there are specialized companies that can make your roof look good as new much cheaper than new roof tiles. A couple of low-cost investments to update your home’s exterior can create impact without taking up your time. By replacing your house numbers and front door knob to match your house’s style, you will instantly provide charming and eye-catching details to your home’s appearance. You can even add polish by painting the front door and trim, putting up a new porch light or putting out a new welcome mat. If you know what is available in your budget for time and money, ask your Realtor to help your prioritize the larger projects like driveways, sidewalks, or windows that need attention. Washing windows until they sparkle is always on the list of to-dos, but what about the rusty carport or stains on the garage floor? Pressure washing is a cost-efficient way to clean the exterior of your home as well as the concrete or asphalt and they are usually available to rent. Painting is always a good return on investment for you as long as your color selection is not too extreme. Adding floral touches to the porch, entry and patios will instantly spruce up your home without costing hundreds of dollars. Mulching with dark bark will also provide an eye-pleasing contrast around the house. Keep the sunshine coming into your home by opening drapes and blinds. The dark, closed up look does not appeal to buyers, so let the exterior light brighten the visible interior, creating an interest point for home shoppers. Installing walkway lights gives an inviting look by highlighting your landscape and the path to your front door when buyers drive by at night. Lastly, there are things you should not do simply because it will hurt the curb appeal. Cluttered items like trash bins and toys visible from the street should be put away. If you like yard ornaments, someone else may not, so while your home is on the market, box up your personal yard décor. Make sure you eliminate dead plants or grasses. Rake up leaves and keep yard mowed for the attractive, always-groomed look. Ask your realtor for solutions if your next-door neighbor’ yard is unsightly. If you know them well enough, offer to mow their yard. Once you have finished your curb appeal project, take another look at the before photos. Do you see a visible difference? Take another set of ‘after’ photos for comparison to see how important curb appeal is to the eyes of the buyer in relation to the sale of your home.
Posted on: Wed, 17 Jul 2013 15:14:44 +0000
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