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USING CURB APPEAL TO HELP SELL A HOME

By
Real Estate Agent with COLDWELL BANKER RESIDENTIAL BROKERAGE

If a homeowner really wants to sell his/her home there are some basic first impression points that should be addressed and here is the first in the series:

#1 CURB APPEAL - Did you know that within the first 15 seconds a buyer has developed an opinion about your property?   Here are some fundamental elements to share with your sellers to help ensure that their home makes a good first impression:

  • make sure the street in front of your house is free of litter, debris and anything else that might give the appearance of neglect (that includes weeds and snow);
  • if your property has a fence then make sure it does not have any rust or peeling paint;
  • paint or replace that old mailbox, it says the owner cares about detail;
  • make sure all outdoor light fixtures are free of rust and look well maintained; 
  • of course take the time to trim the shrubs and cut the lawn (make sure the lawn looks healthy);
  • if there is a walkway and/or a driveway leading to the house, then pay attention to condition of the surface and ask the seller to have the surface resealed if necessary;
  • if the seller has to leave a car parked in the driveway then make sure it is clean and looks well maintained;
  • a fresh coat of paint does wonders as an attraction so ask the seller to consider painting the front door and shutters to help spruce things up;
  • windows should be sparkling clean and, of course, free of any cracked or broken glass or broken seals;
  • a well-maintained roof will say a lot about the overall condition of the property so replace any broken or missing shingles or tiles, repair flashings where needed, but if the roof needs to be replaced then ask the seller to have the work done before placing the home on the market;
  • neat and trim gutters and downspouts will help to keep the well-maintained image of the home intact;
  • and finally, make sure that the rear of the house looks as good as the front.
Constina M. Baylor
REMAX Gold Coast Realtors Oxnard - Oxnard, CA
Broker Associate - Oxnard Homes, Oxnard Beach and Marina

Great points Gloria.  And most of these things will be an no cost and take very little effort.  Before I was a real estate agent I had arranged to see a house and after driving up on it almost didn't go inside because the outside looked so neglected.  Surprisingly, the inside was beautiful.  Not taking care of the outside of your home is like taking a bath and then putting dirty clothes on.

Apr 05, 2011 11:45 AM
Gloria Laughton Allston
COLDWELL BANKER RESIDENTIAL BROKERAGE - Princeton, NJ
Realtor(NJ)/Broker(NY)

You are right Constina, it often just takes a little effort to make sure any interested buyer comes inside before rejecting your home.

Apr 08, 2011 02:07 AM
Laura T. Perry
Keller Williams Elite - Lancaster, PA
CRP, GMS, Award Winning Relocation Specialist

Proper Staging = Top Dollar !!!  Good news for this post - http://actvra.in/4hVj  !!!

Jun 24, 2014 09:07 PM