Curb Appeal
House’s with curb appeal, some have it, some try and some don’t come close to having curb appeal. We’ve all see them while driving around town, to the post office or visiting friends a house that just stands out far and above the rest.
While the housing market remains strong, take a quick look around your neighborhood, I’ll bet you see more for sale signs don’t you? That´s because our inventory has grown, there are more available homes on the market right now.
If I could give you any advice, it would be to add curb appeal to your home, make your home look as inviting on the outside as it does on the inside. Why? And just what is curb appeal? And how do I get it? Three very important questions to ask yourself if you are in the market to list and sell your home.
The old saying about "You can’t judge a book by its cover" painfully untrue in the home selling market. Buyers can and do judge your home the minute the pull curbside.
The painful fact is that I have taken buyers to many homes and the last comment I want to hear is sometimes the first "I don´t like the way it looks from the outside, I´d rather not go in" (true story!) Ouch! From a home owner stand point that hurts! You home may have all the latest up-grades, the cleanest carpets and floors but the exterior turned off the buyer before they were out of the car!
Curb appeal could be as simple as sweeping your gutters or putting your trash cans out of site to pulling those weeds that keep sprouting by your front entry, raking up debris from your flower bed, also, making sure that all windows and screens are kept spotless and shiny clean
For "Darla´s secret recipe" for window washing, Go here.
The more complex could be to add a flat of flowers to the front parkway, nothing says "Home" more than a spot of color, truly spectacular when mass planted. Annuals are the best choice here, instant color and impact. Also, take a look at the paint and trim on your home, you may want to sand and do touch up painting here and there, nothing brightens a home more than fresh paint, don´t go for designer colors, muted tones are generally more pleasing, besides your favorite may be totally different than your prospective buyer. How about adding a pair of potted plants by your entry? Again a visual that says "I’m Home" If you have chimes, I know you love them but your buyers may not, just take them down for the time being. I don’t want you to de-personalize your house but many times if too much of "you" is apparent, the prospective buyer may have a hard time visualizing them selves in your home.
If any of your windows are cracked or chipped, please replace them! Same goes for screens that are loose, tattered and torn, Bad visual impression. Check your drive way also, Oil Stains are really detracting! Hire someone to clean it or a quick fix can be as easy as a layer of kitty litter set out over night to absorb the oil, sweep up the next day and that´s that!
If you have boats, extra cars that aren’t running or motorcycles on your property, unless it has a true RV storage these are very unattractive, If possible, move them until your home sells. The idea is that you want to project spaciousness, again, give the buyer a chance to picture their toys parked there!
So by now you are probably arriving at the common thread, keep everything neat tidy and clean while your house is on the market, I want your home to sell I´ll do my part and for you taking just these few steps you’ll be doing your part.
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