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Most buyers make snap judgments about your house, and buyers begin forming their
opinion of your house long before they go inside. Curb appeal, the external
attractiveness of your property when viewed from the street, is critically
important.
Here are some tried-and-true ways to enhance your house's curb
appeal:
Painting:
Painting your house's exterior before you put it on the market
gives the biggest bang for your fix-up buck - if you use colors that conform
with your neighborhood's decorating norm. Now isn't the time to make a fashion
statement! White, light grays, or soft tans are safe choices for exterior walls.
If your house doesn't need a new paint job, at least touch up window frames,
front shutters, gutters and down spouts. Also, be sure to give your mailbox and
front door a fresh coat of paint.
Lawn:
A freshly mowed, neatly trimmed lawn gives your house a well-maintained
appearance. Don't leave toys, lawn equipment, or garden hoses scattered around
the yard. You can make your grass look extra lush and green by fertilizing it in
the appropriate season.
Sidewalks:
Sweep your sidewalks daily. Keep your walks free of snow and ice
in the winter.
Shrubbery:
Remove or replace any dead or dying trees, hedges, or shrubs and
prune anything that looks scraggly or overgrown. Cut back overgrown shrubs that
block windows and keep light from entering your house.
Flowers:
Filling flower beds with seasonal flowers is an inexpensive way to
add color and charm to property.
Repairs:
Be sure that all gutters and down-spouts are in place and clean.
Replace missing roof shingles and broken or cracked windows. Repair cracks in
your driveway and remove large oil stains. Replace or repair broken stairs, torn
window screens, broken or missing fence slats, and defective doorknobs. Make
sure that your front and back doors, garage doors, and all windows open easily.
Check exterior lights to be certain that they're working properly.
Windows:
Keep your windows spotless inside and out throughout the marketing
period. When you're not home, curious buyers attracted by the For Sale sign will
peek through the windows to size up your house. Don't let their first impression
be windows covered with cobwebs and smeared with fingerprints.
Eliminate or hide clutter:
Clear everything you don't need out of the garage.
Friends and family who live nearby can be a great source of temporary places to
stash your excess stuff. If you can't clean your garage out, at least keep the
door closed to conceal the mess from prying eyes. Don't have a fleet of cars,
trucks, boats, and campers cluttering up your driveway or parked in front of
your house.
You probably lack both the time and the desire to do all this prep work
yourself. If you can afford it, make your life easier by hiring competent folks
to help you with these chores. Your real estate agent can probably refer you to
people who specialize in this kind of work.
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Scott
E-mail Scott Pessin