When selling your home it is important to keep your home in tip top shape. One of the most important attributes is Curb Appeal. You never know when that special buyer will drive by. Even when a buyer comes to view the property, sometimes the first impression is the lasting impression.
If your lawn is not manicured and the exterior of your home is in need of maintenance, you may as well be telling the buyer to Go Away in Most instances. The belief is "If the outside is not taken care of, just imagine what the inside looks like." I have heard this many times from buyers.
The following are some tips to get your Curb Appeal up to par:
- Lawn- In Houston we have Hot, Rainy summers. Often times even waiting 7 days to mow the lawn is too long. If your home is active on the market, try to keep it trimmed and manicured...not overgrown. Don't forget to edge.
- Flowerbeds- The one thing I dislike most about flowerbeds are the weeds, I don't like pulling them. But again, try to keep them minimal. I sometimes pay my daughter to pull weeds. Nice summer work after it had rained and it keeps the "I'm bored" from coming out for a little while.
- Shrubs- It's amazing how keeping the Shrubs even will make your yard look immaculate. Try to even them up and not have a few wild limbs growing out of control.
- Exterior Paint- Paint on the home over time gets dull and sometimes chips. Not only is that a way to get wood rot, but takes away from the beauty of the home. Touch up the paint if you need to.
- Windows- Try to clean up those windows and make them shine!
- Gutters- Gutters tend to get full of leaves over time. I have even seen trees starting to grow from gutters. Get them cleaned out and re-hung if they are starting to fall off.
- Sidewalks and Driveways- Sometimes renting a Power Washer for the day can help tremendously. If your sidewalks or driveways are starting to look a little dingy, use the furniture polish for concrete. Power Washing!
This may seem like a lot of work, but it is worth it! Put yourself in the buyer's shoes for a moment and think about how you would feel about the home. With a Sparkling Curb Appeal the exterior of your home will be ready for the spotlight and have your home saying "I'm Gorgeous!" to all prospective buyers.
Thanks Sally!
Hi Jason, you would be surprised. :) Thanks for stopping by and I'm glad it helped!
I'm sorry, I didn't actually rad your post - I was laughing at the "go away" doormat!
I showed a trash-heap of a home today - it should have said "go away" too, would have saved us the trip.
Another one otta the park! You should definitely do something with this one, maybe a post card!
Stephanie...
You make me want to go shopping a buy a different door mat for every day of the week. I love the "Go Away" one. LOL.
TLW...ROAR!
Hi Cheryl, nice to see you stop by. I agree, the outside is the first impression.
Hi Missy. LOL :) I used the imagechef.com...I think it was Maggie that posted about it. I saw the door mat and just had to do a curb appeal post. I was cracking up.
Thanks Cyndee!
Hi Mana- that's so true. If the outside looks bad, they often times won't give the inside a chance. Thanks for the 5. :)
Hi Dana, that's a great idea! I had not thought about that. Thanks for the idea!
Hi Thesa, Thanks!
Hi Ashley, sometimes I think seller's get caught up in getting the inside looking perfect they forget about the outside...the first impression. Thanks for stopping by!
Hi Susie and Katerina..Let me think about all that. :)
Stephanie,
This is so true! I had buyers today that didn't go inside some of the homes based on what they saw outside.
I love it! I actually almost bought a GO AWAY mat because it was so funny.
I few weeks ago I was showing a home that was listed at over $600,000. The lattice under the deck was down, half under the deck, half in the yard. The deck had not been treated in some time, the yard was full of sticks, leaves, and debris...and my buyers wouldn't even go inside. They said they saw enough, they knew how the home inside was cared for by the looks of the outside.
It was a shame - and I think it's rather nervy to expect someone to fork out over half a million dollars and you can't even be bothered to stain the deck and clean up the yard!
Hi Rita, it happens to me all of the time. I used to make my buyers look inside anyway...but now I think it would make more of an imipact on the seller's if I put in comments that my clients wouldn't go inside because of the condition of the outside. I know it would make me think really hard if I was the seller. :)
Hi Karen, I almost bought it too. :) It's one thing if it's a foreclosure..or poor condition is expected...but when the seller wants top dollar? It is a shame. Thanks for stopping by.
[quote]but now I think it would make more of an imipact on the seller's if I put in comments that my clients wouldn't go inside because of the condition of the outside.[/quote]
I have put that on the show notices that I send back to agents...well, not those words exactly, but I've given specific reasons why the people didn't like the particular property. I have seen so many that say "Just not for them" or "Buyer liked another house" - okay, well and good, but it doesn't help anyone out any. I don't suppose it's my job, as a buyer agent, to help the seller, but I do it as a courtesy because I would appreciate honest feedback on my properties.
Hi Stephen, you are very welcome! The Go Away was not for the readers. :) Hope to see you around!
Hi Margaret, Thanks! I hope this is what they are looking for. :)
Stephanie, great post! Very cute doormats! So......do you provide those for your sellers? :-) LOL
I rated this a five......it was so "right on."