Summer is a wonderful time to maximize the Curb Appeal of your house. We know all the standard Curb Appeal Do's such as water the lawn, trim the bushes, power wash, etc.  I see a lot of houses on the market that have followed all the tips and their homes look, how shall I say..."very well groomed " That's a great thing...its better than weeds in the landscaping and a dirty front door, however, sometimes it just looks well...standard and kinda boring. 

• Yard is green and mowed (check!),
• bushes trimmed (check!), 
• 2 flower pots on either side of the front door (check!),
• and new mat (check!...double check!)....you get the idea here.  

The Curb Appeal can be "neat" but sometimes lack personality.  Summertime gives you that opportunity to create Curb Appeal that will have potential Buyers hearts pounding as soon as they pull up in your driveway!   

 Use these Summertime Curb Appeal Tips that sing "WELCOME HOME!"

Flower photo by Jenny Walters Home Imagery

• Tip #1:  FLOWERS...FLOWERS...and more FLOWERS!      Pick a nice color scheme of flowers that compliments your front door and shutter color.  Plant flowers in your landscaping, group pots together in groups of 3 and use those plant stands to achieve various heights to add interest in a corner of a porch, patio  or deck area.     Fertilize, water, dead-head and baby those plants! Keeping them beautiful, fresh  and blooming big all summer will be KEY to creating irristable Curb Appeal.  There's nothing worse than brown, limpy, dying plants by end of July.
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• Tip #2: A FRIENDLY FRONT DOOR!     Give your front door a fresh coat of paint, polish up the hardware or replace it with new, same goes with the light fixtures...if its seen better days, replace it., look up and check for cobwebs, clean the doorbell or replace with a shiny new one, add a shiny brass knocker and a beautiful summer wreath.  Be sure your wreath is new and updated for the season. There's nothing worse than a faded and dated wreath.
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• Tip #3: HAVE A SEAT AND STAY AWHILE:  Does your front door area have a space for a pretty, weather-proof piece of furniture?  This is a perfect way to welcome potential buyers and give them a preview of whats to come inside!  A pretty chair tucked in a corner, a pair of rocking chairs, or bench with a few colorful pillows visually invites your Buyer to have a seat and stay awhile!
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• Tip #4  CHARMING LITTLE EXTRAS: Don't overlook the little charming extras that can make your Buyer fall in love with your house.  Put out a tray of fresh lemonade and cookies if you have a porch with chairs and a table, add a book, magazine, or rolled newspaper by the tray. Fill your bird feeders, hang a small windchime, add fluffy pillows and even hide away a sachet of lavendar close to the doorway for a subtle hint of fragrance that says welcome.
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• Tip #5 MAINTAIN IT!:  Let's face it...Summertime can be busy with vacations, entertaining, running the kids, etc....and on top of it selling your house!  No matter how busy it gets, maintaining your Curb Appeal has to take priority and is critical to a successful sale.  Create a scheduled time each day and week to water, mow, sweep, fertilize, trim, etc.  Making a plan keeps you organized and on top of it.

Creating Curb Appeal that goes above and beyond what is standard is key to creating an unforgetable first impression in the minds of your potential Buyers.   Taking the opportunity to use these Summertime Curb Appeal Tips that will have your house singing  "Welcome Home!" and you'll be asking "Where do I sign?" when you get that offer!

Happy Staging!

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Teresa Meyer is the Owner and Lead Staging Designer at Stage a Star, Cincinnati's Premiere Real Estate Staging company located in Cincinnati, Ohio. Teresa is an ASP, Accredited Staging Professional and CSPE, Certified Staging Professional Elite and Ohio Certified CSPE Trainer to real estate professionals in Cincinnati. She is a member of RESA, Real Estate Staging Association and currently is the State of Ohio RESA President.   Teresa can be reached at 513-379-5488 or by email: teresameyer@fuse.net to answer your questions about the staging process and looks forward to assisting you in preparing and staging your house for the Cincinnati real estate market.