Special offer

Be More Marketable - - Trim Your Bushes.

By
Real Estate Agent

Fresh pink magnolia

©Susie Blackmon Photos

It snowed here all day today but the pictures in this post were taken yesterday (April 6) at Lake Junaluska.  If you plan to put your house on the market now or very soon, here’s a list of things to do on the outside to impress potential buyers. Well-kempt bushes, lawns, gardens, etc. will decorate the outside of your house and encourage people to want to see the inside!

  1. Create a ’scenic feature’ such as a water garden, a birdhouse or feeder area, or a nice sitting area.
  2. Trim and ‘groom’ all of your plants and flower beds, and replace any dead plants.
  3. Fill your flower beds and planters with lots of good, fresh mulch.
  4. Repair and/or repaint any flower bed framing or containers.
  5. Keep any hoses coiled up neatly.
  6. Green up (fertilize) and trim your grass. This can also include painting your lawn! Check out Grass B Green.
  7. Clean and power-wash everything outside - decks, tables, walls, eaves, windows.
  8. Plant a nice, neat garden which will look not only pretty, but useful!
  9. Make sure Fluffy (your Fluffy or the neighbor’s) doesn’t leave any presents someone might step in.
  10. Hang a nice swing or hammock from a tree, or on a nice deck.

Yellow and orange beauties

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buckingtherealestatetrend.com, susie blackmon

Broker/(REALTOR®)

Original post on Bucking the Real Estate Trend.

Comments (8)

Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Susie - your photos are always so beautiful. I see so many homes where the curb appeal is lacking, and it is not always the REOs and distress sales. In this competitive market it is so important to make sure the house doesn't scare aware prospects. Spring is such a wonderful time for gardening adn so easy to make things in front look so much better.

Jeff

Apr 07, 2009 12:16 PM
TeamCHI - Complete Home Inspections, Inc.
Complete Home Inspections, Inc. - Brentwood, TN
Home Inspectons - Nashville, TN area - 615.661.029

Susie, What no yard fudge? Pooh!!! - I do like the Hammock idea though...

Apr 07, 2009 12:32 PM
Patricia Kennedy
RLAH@Properties - Washington, DC
Home in the Capital

Wait!  Susie!  Snow?  In North Carolina in April?  The photos are just beautiful!

Apr 07, 2009 12:45 PM
Thom Abbott
MyMidtownMojo.com |770.713.1505 | Intown Atlanta GA Condo Living - Atlanta, GA
Midtown Atlanta GA Condos For Sale

Susie....great list for people to spruce things up! Sellers need to do all they can to get their property noticed in this market!

And we had snow flurries here today.....suppose to be 70 by Thursday! Oh how I love the South!

Apr 07, 2009 02:13 PM
William Johnson
Retired - La Jolla, CA
Retired

Hi Susie, These photos as stamp edgings look hot and I had an idea. You could actually have them made into stamps. You could go in and add your name and business  and then have them made into real postage stamps. There is a source out there that advertises to REALTORS to market homes, send out their their image etc as postage stamps and they are very attractive. A friend of mine in Hawaii uses them all the time and they are gorgeous, like your photography.

Apr 07, 2009 05:17 PM
Lisa Hill
Florida Property Experts - Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Beach Real Estate

Beautiful photos, as usual. I like the matching borders too. I think photos always look better with the right border, even if it's just a faded edge. Actually, on my own photos, I have a preference for the fades. =)

Apr 07, 2009 05:28 PM
Connie Harvey
Pilkerton Realtors - Brentwood, TN
Realtor - Nashville TN Real Estate

Susie, I am always surprised when people don't see that the outside is just as important as the inside. Especially the "staging"! Love the borders around the photos. :)

Apr 09, 2009 01:15 AM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

Susie, You have painted such a lovely picture that they might not want to sell.

 Great photos as always!

Apr 11, 2009 04:20 PM