Does your home have curb appeal? Better make sure the answer is “yes” before you put it on the market. According to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), it just may make the difference between selling your property quickly, or having it linger on the market for months.
It's true. Homes that appeal to the eye at first glance sell faster. There isn't any doubt about it.
Just a few short years ago, when mortgage rates were a little lower and the housing market was booming, homes were selling almost as quickly as they hit the market. Statistics show it is now taking much longer to sell a home.
How about the properties you've gone to see? Do they have curb appeal? If not, you might be able to find a diamond in the rough. If you can see past what are typically cosmetic issues that are easily corrected, there is the potential for a good deal to be had.
If a home is taking longer to sell than the average there may be a good reason. What is the first thing you notice when you drive up to a house?
You can't make a ranch a colonial (at least not without spending a small fortune) or vice versa, and you can't change the neighborhood, but there are many things you can do to make the exterior of your home more appealing.
If your attention is focused on cracks in the driveway, paint on the shutters that’s peeling and dead branches hanging from the trees, it won’t take long before you come to the realization that the home isn’t selling because it lacks curb appeal. So what can be done about it? Make a list of the projects that need to completed right away.
• The Driveway
Often the first step a perspective buyer takes on a property is on the driveway. If the driveway is gray and weathered, or worse, cracked and crumbling, this may scare off buyers. The good news is that repairing and beautifying your driveway can be done quickly and easily, and wow, what a difference it makes.
What do you do? Start by thoroughly cleaning the surface with a spray on driveway cleaner and letting it dry completely. Once the surface is clean, you can apply your sealer using an applicator that has a squeegee on one side and a brush on the other to spread and smooth the mixture.
There are a lot of asphalt sealers on the market, so be sure to do your homework. One that has sand particles to help fill in the small cracks in the surface is a good choice. If it is a gel based sealer, it will apply faster, easier and with less mess.
• Paint
If the paint on the shutters, or anywhere else for that matter, is peeling away, but the rest of the house looks OK, take the shutters down and repaint them. You may want to repaint the front door to match as well. If your front steps are made of wood, a fresh coat of paint after a harsh winter makes a big difference.
It would also be a good idea to pressure (aka, power wash) wash the house and sidewalks,
particularly if there are water or dirt marks from sprinklers, etc.
• Landscaping
As far as the landscaping goes, start by removing all the dead branches and leaves from your trees and shrubs, and making sure they have shape to them. Overgrown plants are a big turn off. Clean up leaves from around the foundation too.
You should also be sure the lawn is well maintained. If you don’t have time to cut it every week, and remove the weeds, hire someone to do it for you. And if there’s no color in the yard right now, add some. Pansies, Petunias, Marigolds and Daisies look great whether they’re planted in flower beds or in pots by the front door. Either way, be sure to cover the dirt with mulch, which holds moisture and prevents weed growth.
Other tricks you can try to improve your home’s curb appeal: get a new front door, wash the siding and front windows and replace the weathered mailbox and house numbers. In the grand scheme of things, these small investments will pay huge dividends when it comes time to sell your home. You'd be surprised how small, relatively inexpensive improvements will set your home apart from the competition.
For more tips, check out this article on the Home & Garden TV Web site. You also can watch videos from the popular "Curb Appeal" television show online.
Although Buyers Brokers Only, LLC does not ever list property for sale, please don't hesitate to contact me for a referral to a competent, hard-working listing agent.
Some of the Content for this Post Courtesy of ARAcontent
Before you build that great room, gourmet kitchen or over-the-top master bathroom, check out this garage. An article in the 
Recent Comments