Jul 10
26
Focus on Curb Appeal
Preparing your home for sale usually means some serious elbow grease, but the benefits definitely outweigh the hassles. This time of year in particular, focusing on curb appeal and making the exterior of your property as attractive as possible should be a priority.
When you list your house for sale, potential buyers will often drive by prior to making an appointment to view the property. If they don’t like what they see on the outside, you’ll never get them inside the front door!
Take a few minutes to stand outside and look at what other people are going to see when they pull in your driveway or drive down your street. Take notes of what you see that should be fixed or spruced up, and really do your best to make those changes.
A quick curb appeal checklist:
1) Keep the lawn mowed and walkways trimmed neatly.
2) Examine your front door. Depending on your budget, if your front door is old and outdated, a new one might be a wise investment. After all, that is the first part of your house that potential buyers see up close. If not a new door, can it be painted a fresh new color? How about new hardware? Also, if you have a front porch, make it as welcoming as possible – maybe a rocking chair and a nice arrangement of flowers.
3) If your house exterior is painted, make sure the paint is in good shape. Scrap and re-paint any areas that have worn. Same with the trim.
4) Landscaping can do wonders! If you have flower beds around the house that have been ignored, be sure to weed them and maybe add some new flowers to freshen it up. Mulch is always a nice touch! And, if you have old overgrown bushes or trees that are hiding the finer features of your home’s exterior, trim them back so buyers get a nice view.
5) Lighting along walkways or incorporated around decks or flower beds lend a nice touch and show off your landscaping in the evening. Solar lights with stakes are easy to place in the ground and are quite inexpensive.
6) Last, but definitely not least: Keep your windows sparkling clean!
