Curb Appeal

August 12, 2009 Posted In General Sellers

The Importance of Curb Appeal

Many people may not realize the importance of curb appeal, but with so many houses on the market, it is more important than ever. As your Realtor pulls up with the potential buyer, they make their first impression within 30 seconds, just like when meeting a new person for their first time.

What the exterior of your home looks like will leave a lasting impression on potential buyers. You have to look at your home objectively as a potential home buyer would look at your home.

Learn what to do to create desire in the potential home buyer the minute they look at your home for sale, whether you are the owner or the Realtor. A Realtor should learn these methods as well so they can pass this on to their clients so they can sell their home quickly.

The list to create curb appeal and desire in the heart of the home buyer

1. Stand in the street or across the road. What do you see? What is your first impression?
2. What are the features that stood out the most that you liked?
3. What stood out that you disliked?
4. Can you improve the appearance of the yard? Are there weeds? Are there toys all over the yard? Are there dead bushes, flowers, or leaves that need to be removed?
5. Is the sidewalk or path to the front door clean? Is the path uneven and unattractive? Are there ways you can improve the path?
6. Take photos of the exterior of your home. Look closely at the photos and try to see what potential home buyers will notice. Can you make improvements?
7. Remember to look at home at different hours of the day, such as morning, noon, and evening. Some buyers may drive past in the evening to see what the neighborhood is like after dark. What can you do to improve the evening appeal of your home? The answer is quite simple. Brighten up the paths, the front door, and even use lighting around the yard to enhance the landscaping.
8. Okay, not every potential buyer will only look at the front door. Potential buyers will walk all the way around the house. The backyard needs to look just as tidy and neat as the front lawn. A cluttered backyard will give the impression that the home was cluttered and only cleaned up to sell.

Things to do to create desire and curb appeal:

• Ensure the exterior has no mold or mildew on the house, driveway, or path.
• Put away all outside toys or ensure they are neatly stored.
• Put away all garden tools, hoses, etc…
• clean the gutters.
• clean the windows inside and out.
• wash the siding.
• clean the deck or patio.
• clean all paths to the home.
• clean the driveway.
• edge the paths.
• rid the yard of weeds.
• keep the lawn mowed.
• rake the leaves as needed.
• trim tree limbs.
• plant flowers.
• repaint the front door.
• replace the old mailbox.
• replace the house numbers or repaint the numbers.
• add a nice doormat.

In today’s competitive market it is more important than ever for your home to make a good first impression.