Curb appeal is often the last thing home owners think about when they are trying to sell their home. The focus typically stays on the inside of the home and the immediate exterior of the house, however buyers are not only looking to buy the home, they are buying the property the house sits on, so curb appeal is a very crucial aspect of home sales.
It doesn’t matter if your home is absolutely immaculate on the inside, if the outside looks horrible, buyers won’t make it through the front door. The exterior of your home and the surrounding property are the first thing a buyer sees and it needs to look its best.
Here are 10 steps to achieving great curb appeal:
1) Make sure your lawn is in good repair and free of weeds and debris. Clean up any fallen branches and trim all trees and hedges. Repair any dead spots in the lawn and remove any dead or dying plants.
2) Re-paint shutters, trim, and any peeling or chipped surfaces. Painting the front door, garage door and concrete are great ways to freshen up the look of your home.
3) Wash and shine all windows and reflective surfaces.
4) Remove trash cans, toys, old lawn furniture, tools, and anything else that does not need to be in the yard. If you have storage shed or other storage space put all items that are seasonal away and keep only the necessary items.
5) Replace old and rusty mailboxes with something modern and complimentary to the house color.
6) Ensure that the house numbers are freshly painted or new and clearly visible from the street.
7) Power wash the exterior of the house and gutters to remove any dirt and debris.
8) Replace any outdated or old hardware and light fixtures. New knockers, door knobs, door bells, and locks are great ways to add new life to the exterior.
9) Get a few potted seasonal plants to add some color to the entrance and even a new door matt will make a great first impression.
10) Lastly, if you have pets, make sure you clean up after them every day to avoid any unnecessary messes to potential buyers shoes J
Now that you are thinking about curb appeal, go stand on the sidewalk in front of your house and take note of anything that may be in need of improvement.
Once you have your list of improvements you can tackle each project one at a time, the sooner you start the better. You never know who may be stopping by!
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