If you've done even cursory research on selling your home, you've heard "curb appeal," "curb appeals," and "curb appeal." Since you know that buyers hear "location," "location," and "location," the best thing you can do to make your location stand out is to flaunt your stuff. That doesn't mean you have to undertake significant landscaping projects or renovations. Consider a few simple adjustments to your home's initial presentation to see substantial results.
First impressions
- Neat and tidy. Before launching into expensive outdoor projects, take a moment to view your home from the street. Better yet, step across the street and take a look at your house and those of your neighbors. Do you have weeds? Is your lawn trimmed? Do you edge it along the sidewalks and flower beds? Do you have dry, yellow, or bare patches? Start with greening up the lawn. Give it some water and fertilizer. Trim it up and neaten around the edge. If you're considering selling your home shortly, hire a professional lawn service to get your green stuff in top shape.
- Next, look for cracks, broken hinges, shutters sitting askew, wobbly fence posts and other items that need some maintenance. You don't need to remodel the outside if you've kept it sharply maintained.
- Check your walking paths. Are there loose bricks or stones? Reset them in place. Is the concrete chipped and broken? You can tackle filling in the cracks yourself with easy mix cement from your local DIY store or hire a pro to repair it for you. Often, you don't need to tear up the whole walkway; you can fix only the broken section.
- Hide anything ugly. Often, it's not what you've put in your yard, but things you have no choice about that hinder your curb appeal. If you have utility boxes, meters, and other eyesores that you can't move, hide them. Place a flower bed with taller bushes to the street side of utility boxes in the lawn, or a couple of potted plants in front of a meter next to the front door. Make sure you don't block the meter or box itself though since your utility provider needs access.
- Add some lipstick. Put a fresh coat of paint on the front door and a coordinating color on the shutters. Make sure paint on any trim on the front of the house is not peeling or chipped.
Your property professional can advise you on the first impression improvements to complete on your home, so reach out and seek their advice.