Why is Curb Appeal So Critical to Sellers and Buyers?
Wasn’t there a moment when you drove by an intriguing house,
and you’ve wondered what the interior looked like? Now picture
the same house with a rusty mailbox, overgrown hedges, and
sea of dandelions waving above two weeks of lawn growth?
Does your mind wonder now to what lies inside — could the same
house have a kitchen or bathrooms that needs updating? What if the
same house, perhaps your house, was for sale?
Don’t let the lack of curb appeal be a reason for buyers to dismiss
going inside! Remember the time you drove up to a house with
your own Realtor, only to decide to skip entering the property because
of its exterior “condition”?
If you are selling, here are seven areas to spruce up:
1) Landscaping - Take a look at the house from all directions. Buyers can visualize
children playing in the yard or themselves sipping cool lemonade drinks
on the patio. They don’t want to ”see” mowing instead. Absolute necessities: remove
dead plants, weeds, and add new mulch. Trim scrubs to reveal windows. If need be,
for a short time, hire a gardener while your house is on the market and fertilize
and water the lawn. Edge the lawn, sidewalks, gardens and driveways.
2) At night, turn on the lights. Neighbors driving home from work might call
their friends and acquaintances to share the news of your home on the market. Plus
a warm glow from the house looks inviting.
3) Remove clutter - Banish unnecessary tools, toys, extra bags of mulch or bikes
or mismatched patio furniture.
4) Exterior Painting – Remove peeling paint and repaint affected areas. Wash the
windows inside and out to make them sparkle.
5) Front Door – Paint the door a complimentary color to the exterior. Add a new welcome mat
and place flower pots with freshly planted annuals on either side of the door to welcome
your guests inside. A brand new doorknocker will brighten buyers’ faces.
6) Concrete – Use a power washer with water to lighten and remove good ole grime on sidewalks and
driveways.
7) Fix it projects - Replace missing fence posts, add lightbulbs to front porch lights, restain decks, etc.
A couple of weekends of effort and a few hundred dollars later will bring potentially tens of thousands of dollars
of value to your home. Remember, this critical point, if you can’t get them to cross the front door
threshold, you can’t sell the house. Attending to these details, could be difference between having your home
a short time on the market and maximize potential for a top sales price or lagging on the market begging
for a price reduction from potential buyers. In the end, they want a house that was previously loved and well
cared for to possibly become their new home!
Written by your neighborhood Realtor, Kathleen Ryan, e-PRO, www.kathleenryanhomes.com, 240-418-3127 (mobile)
