Uncategorized July 25, 2018

Curb Appeal

It is summer time and a great time to sell your home! While you prepare the inside of your home to go on the market by de-cluttering, packing seasonal items and generally sprucing things up, remember to spare a few minutes for the outside as well. The exterior of your home is the first things prospective home buyers see when they come for a visit. Here are a few tips and friendly reminders to help your home appeal to a buyer.

  1. De-Clutter. What works inside, works outside. Limit your yard art to a few key pieces to help draw the eye around the yard. A flamingo or two adds flair, a whole flock is just too much. 
  2. Reign in the holidays. Holiday lights are lovely…during the holidays. If you are selling your home in the spring or summer the addition of multi-colored twinkly lights or large inflatable objects could confuse a new home buyer.
  3. Remove anything that has a motor. Or once had a motor. If your classic car has morphed into a yard sculpture it should, probably, be removed. Potential buyers may not share your love of cars so consider having it towed or, if there is a possibility to donate it, research local charities who can recycle or repair vehicles and give you a tax write off.
  4. Add a splash of color. The addition of a blooming plant is inexpensive and will draw the eye to the front door. Think of contrasting colors: red flower with a white or blue door; yellow flower with a blue or red door.
  5. Grass should be green. Just saying.
  6. Review the exterior of your home. If it looks dusty or dingy a power wash can spruce things up. Broken windows in garage doors could be fixed and windows washed.
  7. Pets are known for poopies. Keep an eye on Fido and Fluffy to make sure potential home buyers aren’t greeted to a “how-do” with doo-doo.
  8. Check water features and sprinklers to make sure everything works. Pumps can be temperamental so make sure they are fully functional. Sprinklers should be turned to water grass and foliage and not the driveway.
  9. Remember: Gnomes are awesome! Well, some people think so. Quirky objects may not appeal to every sense of humor and some may be just inappropriate if you are trying to sell your home.
  10. If you can lose a small animal in your lawn, your grass is too long. Mowing is an inexpensive way to keep your home looking tidy. If you are heading out of town, research having a service mow the lawn or find an entrepreneurial neighborhood kid to come over and tend the lawn.