Here are a few things to do to improve & dress up your homes curb appeal and get more money by spending a little to spruce up your home on the outside before listing. Most can be done for little to nothing and usually done in a weekend!
- Dress up the front door - Your front door should scream "Hey, come look inside or Welcome Home!" If people like the outside, they are more likely going to want to see the inside. We want to attract buyers who drive by and see our signs in the yard enough to prompt them to make that call about your home over your neighbors home. So, put a fresh coat of paint on the front door and match it to some of the furniture on the front porch, pillows or even potted plants. Red seems to be a popular color, but many use black too as long as it is nicely done and think about the hardware on the door too. You may think about changing the outdated brass hardware to something more modern. Add a nice wreath to help make the entrance inviting! Get a new, inviting door mat!
- Lawn & Landscaping - If you want to attract buyers, then please MOW the grass and keep it freshly cut during the process. You even need to keep the edging done and make the yard look beautifully manicured all the time. Trim all the bushes and tress! Get rid of weeds in the plant beds & add a nice layer of fresh mulch, along with new plants if some have died. Get rid of all of the junk that's laying around outdoors, debris or old wood that is rotting away. Oh, and clutter, please de-clutter the yard like you would do the inside..... too much of a good thing is bad! Have you seen the yards that have all kinds of garden sculptures? Yeah, well that can detract people, so less is more. Make sure you downsize the outdoor yard decor and if you have too many plants, you might want to get rid of some or dig up and replant in another area! Make the landscape have color, but not too busy!
- House wash - Now is the time to have the gutter, siding, brick and any part that may have mildew growing pressure washed, so it looks freshly clean and bright! Remember, a clean house is a happy house and makes people feel like you keep up with the maintenance and care about your home.
- Decks & patios - Always clean the deck and if you can apply a coat of stain to the wood so it looks new again. People even have the concrete patios and driveways cleaned and sealed, but its not always necessary as long as it is clean. Anything that needs to be cleaned outside should be clean and maintained while selling. Doing this may help sell a lot faster and attract the right buyer! Don't forget to spruce up the outdoor furniture too even though it is not staying!
- Mailbox - Don't forget to dress up the mailbox. It's the first thing most people see when they drive up! You can freshly paint it or add some nice, colorful plants to help with the curb appeal and don't forget to mulch that area too!
Now, if you do the steps to prepare your home to sell, you will see the rewards of your labor and it will sell a lot quicker than the home that has not done any of these things to their home. You want to make yours stand out more than the neighbors home that's for sale, after all, they are your competition!
Article Written by: Audra Hicks
