There's nothing more disappointing than driving by a home for sale with a sign that reads "Must See Inside!"    If they haven't taken the same time and consideration for the outside of their home - how can I trust the inside isn't just the minimum to get by to sell their home? 

In order to get me (and a lot of others looking to buy) you have to draw me in with a lawn that is not only well manicured, but flowers, a freshly painted front door, clean and well-maintained front porch, clean windows and gutters, new or undamaged screens on the windows,  a nice mailbox with easy to read numbers... I could go on and on.

In today's market where the competition is fierce to sell a home - half the battle is getting that potential buyer inside and to do that the outside has to look at least as good as the inside.  Some homeowners are willing to overlook a few small items in the home if they don't have to spend a load of money on the exterior.  They want that money making that new home theirs - on the INSIDE...  If the outside is a mess - all they're doing is calculating how much it's going to cost to have the driveway repaired, the downspouts replaced, the flowerbeds cleaned out, etc... 

But it's more than just making sure everything is in good repair - you want to put planters on your front porch using symatry - one on either side of the front door - especially if you have sidelights.  If you look at the first example the lanterns match the front door  which matches the planters.  The black door really pops against the white frame.  There are beautiful flowers and ivy planed in the planters and a nice clean mat in front of the door.  All of these things add up to give that potential homeowner a "welcome home" feeling.  Now - compare this first image with the second - and think which is more appealing - which home would you rathe go inside?  One where the homeowner takes the time to decorate the front porch - or the one where the homeowner buys a dinky mat that's not even as wide as the door?   Throwing money at a home by replacing the doors is all well and good - but you want to be smart and make the right decisions when choosing color.  The front door is the focal point of the front of your home and you need to draw people in.

Install outdoor lighting

Low-voltage landscape lighting makes a huge impact on your home's curb appeal while also providing safety and security. Fixtures can add accent lighting to trees or the house or can illuminate a walking path.  If you don't want to use lights that require wiring, install solar fixtures.  The thing you need to take into consideration with solar lights is levels are not as bright or as reliable.

There are many more ways you can spruce up your curb appeal - stay tuned for more posts.

Knikkolette