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Summertime Curb Appeal Tips that sing "Welcome Home!"

By
Home Stager with Cincinnati Home Stager

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 alot 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 standardized. 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!"

  • 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.....

  • 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.

  • 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!

  • 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.

  • 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 KEY 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 will have your house singing "Welcome Home!" and you'll be asking "Where do I sign" when you get that offer!

 

 

 

 Teresa Meyer is the owner of www.stageastar.com , a full service professional home staging company in Cincinnati, Ohio serving Butler, Hamilton, and Warren counties. Cincinnati Home Staging....helping Sellers, Realtors, and Investors prepare their home and listings for the Cincinnati real estate market.

 

 

Posted by

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 Accredited Staging Professional and recently awarded 2011 Midwest Stager Of The Year.  She is a member of RESA, Real Estate Staging Association, RESA Instructor 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.

     

Stage A Star provides home staging services to Hamilton county Ohio, Butler county Ohio, Warren County, Ohio, Clermont county Ohio, West Chester, OH., Liberty Twp, OH., Mason, OH., Fairfield Twp., OH., Monroe, OH., Hyde Park, OH., Loveland, OH., Maineville, OH., Morrow, OH., Deer Park, OH., Indian Hill, OH., and surrounding Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky areas.

 

Stacy and Jackie Jones
The Jones Team - Katy, TX
Houston/Katy Realtors
Good post.  Nice reminder that you want the house to look good but not "cookie cutter".
Jul 01, 2007 02:21 PM
Karen Otto
Home Star Staging - Plano, TX
Plano Home Staging, Dallas Home Staging, www.homes

summer buffet 

I just set this up for an Open House on Friday outside on their new patio - it was a garden stand and I made it into a buffet, brought some accessories and fresh flowers, even cut some from their yard and put in a galvanized bucket.  I love doing this kind of stuff! Thanks for posting! Love the fresh white wicker look for summer too!

Jul 01, 2007 02:29 PM
Rhonda Hay Rawlins
Glastonbury Home Staging - Glastonbury, CT
Very nice suggestions. Your suggestions for taking it a little further says, "Relax, stay awhile" Thanks, Rhonda
Jul 01, 2007 02:30 PM
J Perrin Cornell
Coldwell Banker Cascade Real Estate - Wenatchee, WA
Broker, ABR, VAMRES
Great tips and really important. I had a house last summer that I also had a swing in the backyard... a glider really. On the table next to it we placed a pair of binoculars and a bird book.... open and face down... a great touch and actually representative of the owners and location.
Jul 01, 2007 02:35 PM
Kathleen Lordbock
Keller Williams Realty Professionals - Baxter, MN
Keller Williams Realty Professionals
Karen and Teresa - great summer photos I want to party there or sit there - great.
Jul 01, 2007 02:48 PM
Teresa Meyer
Cincinnati Home Stager - Cincinnati, OH
Home Staging Cincinnati-OH.

Karen: LOVE the garden stand set up for your Open House!  WOW!  That's the kind of things that go above and beyond!

Jul 01, 2007 03:35 PM
Lori Hakeem Oxley
Charles Rutenberg Realty, Inc. - Tampa, FL
Great ideas!!!  These pictures do make me just want to sit down and relax!!!   First impressions are lasting impressions!
Jul 01, 2007 04:03 PM
Chuck Dellorto
Coldwell Banker - Serving INDIANA & ILLINOIS - Highland, IN
"Talk To Chuck"

Teresa,

Thanks for the reminder about curb appeal also. I think many of us get on the track of trying to make the interior look great and we forget about the exterior.

Jul 01, 2007 04:30 PM
Teresa Meyer
Cincinnati Home Stager - Cincinnati, OH
Home Staging Cincinnati-OH.

Making the extra effort to go a little further with the Curb Appeal....adding the special touches to say WELCOME charms potential buyers to fall in love with your home.  I love creating Curb Appeal for my clients....I want their Buyers hearts beating and palms sweating as soon as they lay eyes on the house from the driveway!

Jul 02, 2007 02:21 AM
Marci Toliver
438-4642 - Mauldin, SC
Anderson SC, Spartanburg,Greenville SC, Home Staging
Teresa, this looks awesome!  I love the turquoise pillows- that pop of color is awesome! I think I will sit down!
Jul 02, 2007 04:19 AM
Nicola Lindsay
Nicola Lindsay ReDesign and Home Staging - Saint Stephen, NB
CRSS
Thanks for the suggestions, I enjoy ideas from others folks. I will take pictures this week of the house I am staging inside and out too. Am counting the days now!
Jul 02, 2007 04:46 AM
Lorrie Ann Thomas
Realty ONE Group Edge - Woodstock, GA
Realtor®

 

Karen: I love the Garden stand with the Sunflowers! How creative!

Teresa: I was commenting on your blog since you mentioned Pressure Washing, and it seems that the Pressure Washing market in this area (Georgia) seems to be down right now due to the drought and misinformed homeowners that don't realize that they can still have their home or driveway pressure washed without fear of being fined. They cannot do it themselves. However, businesses such as Pressure Washing companies or Painting Contractors who are prepping homes to be painted, are allowed to carry on their daily business.

So, do not hesitate to call your local pressure washing company and get your home cleaned up and ready to sell! I provide some helpful links on my website of service providers in my areas.

 

 

Jul 06, 2007 02:28 PM
Lorrie Ann Thomas
Realty ONE Group Edge - Woodstock, GA
Realtor®

Here is a link and some info for anyone in Georgia that reads my comment above and would like more info:

Most people are not aware that they can still have their home or driveway pressure washed by a Pressure Washing Company. They are not allowed to do it themselves, since they individuals and not a business. However, businesses such as Pressure Washing Companies or Painting Contractors are still allowed to conduct their business.

According to 391-3-30-.05 Exemptions 5 (h)  as quoted below: (to view the entire rules click on the link below)

RULES OF GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DIVISION

CHAPTER 391-3-30 OUTDOOR WATER USE

(5) The following commercial outdoor water uses are exempt from the outdoor water use

schedules of this rule.

(a) Professionally certified or licensed landscapers, golf course contractors, and

sports turf landscapers: during installation and 30 days following installation

only. Professional landscapers must be certified or licensed for commercial

exemptions to apply.

(b) Irrigation contractors: during installation and as needed for proper

maintenance and adjustments only.

(c) Sod producers.

(d) Ornamental growers.

(e) Fruit and vegetable growers.

(f) Retail garden centers.

(g) Hydro-seeding.

(h) Power-washing.

(i) Construction sites.

(j) Producers of food and fiber.

(k) Car washes.

(l) Other activities essential to daily business.

(m) Watering-in of pesticides and herbicides on turf.

DON'T  TRY  TO  SELL  A  DIRTY  HOUSE!

Jul 06, 2007 02:32 PM
Karen Hubert
Center Stage Design-real estate staging, Ancaster/Hamilton - Ancaster, ON
Home Stager
Looks nice.  Welcoming.  I like your little movie about your staging business. Nicely done.
Jul 10, 2007 05:35 AM
Yvonne Root
rooms b.y. root - Prescott, AZ
Home Stager - Northern Arizona

Teresa, The color alone is fabulous! Great use of the furniture with the particular backdrop. Your ideas are all right on!

Karen, We are helping to host an open house this coming Sunday. I love the water in the bucket idea. We have a container that will be perfect for that. Thanks for the photo.

Jul 10, 2007 06:02 AM
Kathy Nielsen
http://atlantahomestaging.net - Marietta, GA
Atlanta Georgia Home Stager

Teresa - OMGosh... you achieved a perfect look.  I can just picture having lemonade on that porch!  Love the blues too!

Kathy

Jul 10, 2007 11:03 AM