In real estate you don’t get a second chance to make a good first impression. That first impression could mean the difference of selling your home. In order to show the home to a global buyer, it must look pristine from the street to the doorknob.
The first step should be to dress up the front door area. In most cases, a fresh coat of paint on the door, freshly washed windows on the front of the house, and new or polished door hardware and lighting are musts. A wreath on the door and flowers in season in front of the house provide the “icing on the cake”. People cost themselves a lot of money by not paying attention to the exterior appearance of their house.
The basics
What can you do to add to your home's curb appeal? At a minimum, everything a potential buyer might notice about a home’s exterior and lot should be in working order and well maintained. For the most part, homeowners can take care of this work themselves with very little money and a lot of elbow grease. The first step is to keep the grass cut, the bushes pruned and the leaves raked. An easy welcoming step is to add some color such as a pot of flowers, mums or pansies maybe, on the front porch. Also, landscaping is a relatively inexpensive way to increase your home's visual appeal, and something that is not hard to do yourself. It is a good idea to have the exterior power washed and don't forget the deck and driveway. If the outside of the home looks shabby people will wonder what maintenance issues may have been skipped on the inside as well.
Items such as burned-out light bulbs, broken doorbells and fountains, cracked panes of glass, and damaged trim should be repaired or replaced. Windows and siding should be clean, and any metal objects, such as doorknobs, mailboxes, and kick plates, should be polished. If the house shines like a pretty penny, it will sell more quickly. A bag of fertilizer from the local hardware store or garden center and regular watering will perk up grass in a week or two. Flower beds should be weeded and covered with fresh mulch. If the yard is overgrown and weedy, it’s a turnoff. Trees and shrubs are great and should be trimmed so that you can still see the house. We suggest trimming trees up to the rain gutter line or the top of the highest window. Shrubs should follow a same line as the bottom of a window trim. If a lot of trimming needs to be done, do it several weeks before so that the plants have a chance to recover. If bushes are beyond trimming, the homeowner should remove them unless they’re covering up an unattractive feature. It’s better to have minimal landscaping than bad landscaping. After homeowners get the outside in tip-top shape, they must maintain the property, because potential buyers could drive by at any time. Remind sellers to turn on any exterior lighting so that a home’s features can be seen at night. The home has to say “buy me” at all times.
Must do vs. should do
Once owners have covered the basics, the line between “must do” and “should do” projects becomes blurred, with budget and timing of the sale often determining which tasks to tackle.
The roof is a biggie. If the shingles are starting to cup and curl, owners should consider replacing them. Painting a home’s exterior, replacing damaged gutters and shutters, repairing broken concrete in walks and driveways, and adding exterior lighting should also be high on the list. The seller can hire someone to power wash the exterior, if painting is not an option so that it looks nice and fresh. How is the paint? Is it a neutral color? Does it flow with the rest of the homes on the street? Painting your house bright Blue will attract attention for sure, but not when you are selling. Remember, with global buyers... neutral is key here. Start with the trim if you can't paint the whole house, especially around the front door and front porch. It can be as simple as painting the front door a different color.
How is the driveway? Are there cracks, oil stains, garbage cans? The driveway is the largest hard area near the home, the material and look of the driveway and garage have a huge impact on curb appeal. Is your walkway to the front door defined? Does it lead buyers to the front door or front entry? Make sure people know where your front door is, and then work on drawing people toward the front door. If the front entry area has a patio, create an outdoor sitting area.
Other projects fall into the optional category. Landscaping is a good example of the type of improvement homeowners can pursue, but only if they have the money and time. A yard makeover can have a dramatic effect on a home’s curb appeal, but the cost can easily run into several thousand dollars or more, and the improvements might take weeks to install and several months to mature. This is a project that owners should initiate about 6 months prior to listing their home for sale. If flowerbeds are scarce or nonexistent, you can fill flowerpots to add splashes of color. Yellow and red flowers are buyer colors. They really seem to stop people in their tracks. If there’s room, add a bench to the front porch. If not, try putting it in the yard. Another cost-saving suggestion for improving curb appeal is to focus on plants and not worry about projects such as putting in a brick pathway. Plantings tend not to be the expensive part of the job.
Planning ahead
A recent survey by Hebert Research for HouseValues Inc., based in Kirkland, Wash., found that the average home sale is about months from the time the owner thinks of selling to the closing date. If that sounds like your schedule, it would be a good idea to start sooner rather than later on maximizing your curb appeal. The bottom line is "curb appeal".
Thinking of Selling your home? Call JoAnn Papsidero today! 321-243-4917 or email JoAnn@myFLdreamhome.com
