When agents meet a client to show a property, they normally receive their buyers in good attire, a warm hand shake and with their best smile. Sellers must have their homes receive the potential buyers the same way. I'm not crazy, and I know houses can't give a hand shake, or smile for that matter, but they can look good, feel inviting and make the buyers smile. If you can achieve that, the pre-disposition of the buyer is better, and the tour of the home will be turned into something positive instead of a walk through full of objections. First impresions don't have a second chance, this is true with every house, every time, everywhere. No matter how nice the interior is, if the first impresion of the property is a negative one, the rest will be tainted by it, and in consequence, it looses value, which translates into a lower offer, or worse...no offer.
In my last blog about curb appeal I shared a few ideas to get your houses ready for the holidays and the snow, but today I want to cover the 1-2-3 of curb appeal.
1- The first room of the house doesnt have to be inside. If you have a front porch, make it an additional room in the house. Stage the space with the intention of inviting potential buyers to spend time there, to sit down and make themselves at home. Don't be afraid to use fabrics and colors to complete the space. There is a great selection of outdoor materials you could use to make curtains that frame those, otherwise lonely columns. They will add dimention and height to the space with very little effort. Also consider adding an inexpensive bistro set, tree stumps for seats, garden chairs or any other furniture that will fit the style of the home, without getting too taste specific. (avoid clutter by eliminating excessive use of signs, statues, accessories and too much furniture, remember it is not a yard sale)
2- Help me find the address please!!!! Make sure the numbers are visible, just think that people mostly visit houses after work, and with the days being shorter this time of the year, sometimes it gets really hard to find an address in the dark. Think of implementing light up address signs, they are really convenient and easy to install. Other ways to make it easier to see the address from the street is by leaving the front porch light on, yard lighting and well painted numbers are also of great help. (they also look great on pictures, so use them when posting pictures on-line or making flyers) However you choose to do this, if you really want to sell, make sure buyers can find you first...
3- Details say a lot about you and your house. It's not all about yard, color and siding when it comes to curb appeal. Sometimes small details speak louder than the larger areas. Light fixtures for example, should be considered the jewelry of the home, is a must to have clean, updated and working fixtures. Door bells, must be working also, and if they are supposed to light up, make sure they do. If they don't replace them. The entry way should be swept and clean, door mat must be presentable and appropriate (door mats with humorous texts and graphs may work for you, and your specific taste but they could offend potential buyers) Any repairs needed should always be addressed before listing the property.
Thank you for reading and Great Successs !
Christian Quiero. Home Stager
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