Hey - Look at ME!! I'm AMAZING!!

What does your listing say to passers by?  Does it shout, "Hey - Look at ME!!"?  or does it say, "Don't bother..I'm not worth it."?  It all boils down to presentation and curb appeal.  Adding curb appeal to a home doesn't have to be hard or expensive.  There are many things you can do to add curb appeal to your front steps and landing. Curb appeal is important to a home for a variety of reasons. Your home should feel inviting.  Adding curb appeal will make your home feel welcome and will boost the perceived value before a buyer even steps foot in the door. Even in a down market?  Especially in a down market!  Curb appeal can help make the sale. If a home is not attractive on the outside, buyers instantly get a bad impression before stepping foot in the door and may expect (and look for) the worst. Another reason for curb appeal is that you don't want your home to stand out as the eyesore of the neighborhood.

One simple way to add some curb appeal to your front steps and landing areas is to use potted trees. Potted trees will make attractive scenery and can be removed when the home sells. It is difficult for seller to justify investing in a property that may be short-sold.  They are more likely to spend the money if they can take the plant with them when they go.  Alternatively, as a Realtor, if your seller is inwilling or unable to purchase the plants, you can provide them and reuse them on another listing.  Try to choose trees that will do well in your climate, as well as accent the area.

Decorative planters are another great way to accent stairs and landings. They come in many sizes and a variety of plant choices can be used to match your scenery and effectively draw positive attention to your home. Garden centers and home improvement warehouses generally have a big selection of planters, as well as plants and flowers. Choosing containers with nontraditional shapes and placing them along the stairs is one way to add curb appeal with decorative planters. It is amazing the impact that some well-placed (and maintained) potted plants can do to add curb appeal (value!) to a property. 

A freshly painted front door is imperative.  If there are glass panes, make sure they sparkle.  The area in front of the door should be swept and clean of debris.  Dust away any cobwebs or evidence of other insects.  It is all about first impressions.  If the first impression is good, the experience will be good.  But if that experience is bad...the inside won't make it any better. 

The front lawn should be clean and mowed and any beds should have fresh mulch or pine straw and be weed-free. 

I am amazed at sellers who refuse to spend a couple of hundred dollars to make improvements that if not made, would cost them thousands.  The investment of attractive curb appeal is nominal, but the cost of ignoring it far outweighs the investment.