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ENVISION What a ROCK or TWO, CAN DO?

By
Real Estate Agent with Broker Associate/Realtor/ISA with Nouveau Riche

FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE EMPHASIZING the HUGE IMPORTANCE OF CURB APPEAL

       This is our home (that we currently live in, while we are rehabbing it.) As you can see when we

purchased this 4 bdrm,2 ba,3 car garage in July of 2006; it was not a "vision" in the least bit. 

As a seasoned broker/realtor; investor and VISIONARY (wink/wink) Dave and I have made a tremendous

transformation to date.  These photos show the importance of CURB APPEAL.

  

200676370                 

Curb Appeal Progress at 203 Roosevelt        More Curb Appeal Year 2008

Walk slowly past your house from both directions. What stands out the most? The faded paint on the garage door? A mailbox that hangs askew? Dead grass and patches of dusty, bare ground? What about the rusted out truck in your neighbor's side yard? The goal is to fix and replace the things that will show the greatest return on your investment.

Even more important is knowing the right type of repairs that can add thousands to the selling price of your house for relatively little investment.

When purchasing flowers, try to stick with perennials; they will continue to produce a colorful palette year after year with minimal effort.  Also consider WHEN various perennials flower, or bloom? Carefully select perennials that will produce BLOOMS all year long (early spring, spring, summer, late summer and fall)

 

Continuing Curb Appeal          Curb Appeal

Landscaping    Simple, inexpensive additions that liven a home are shutters. They are lightweight, come in a variety of colors and styles, easy to install; and can absolutely TRANSFORM the exterior of a home.

          

 Landscaping at 203 Roosevelt

Be sure to pay attention to which GREENERY (shrubs, ivys, ground coverings) OR PERENNIALS require SUN,SHADE or PARTIAL SUN.  Making the right choices of location in the very beginning will limit the amount of "trajedies" you must remove and re-purchase the following year. REMEMBER: IF you are developing CURB APPEAL for the purpose of increasing the value of your property and turning it for a relatively quick profit? KEEP a close eye on your expenditures. Watch for sales, spend a Sunday afternoon driving farm fields and gathering rocks for lining gardens (purchasing rocks, like some of the HUGE ones we have lining the perimeter of our property? can cost hundreds of dollars!!  )

As a homeowner or investor with a property for sale you need to have enthusiastic buyers making offers in order to see maximum gains. Enthusiastic buyers and Realtors will result in a higher selling price in a much shorter period of time.

Does your home make a good impression?
Does it make a strong statement to neighbors and to potential buyers?

It helps to write down a complete inventory of what is wrong with your home's appearance, then make a list of ways in which you can fix those problems. It could be as simple as adding a flower bed or planting a tree. If your home lacks visual depth, installing a portico over your front door could be the solution. A walkway lined with bright flowers is always helpful. A good, old-fashioned paint job can give the home a face-lift, as well as new siding. If the roof looks dull, replacing the shingles can breathe new life into the house. View all repairs and improvements with the idea that you'll make back your money three, five, or even ten times over with these tips.

                                           Higher Perceived Value = Higher Selling Price

 

 

 

The most important thing to keep in mind when preparing your house is to be objective. Look at your house and yard as if you were a buyer, and determine curb appeal from that perspective. You may notice things you've spent years overlooking. By spending a little time fixing up your house, you could potentially add thousands to the selling price.

 

                                       

        Curb Appeal Sells 49% of All Houses
           National Association of Realtors

                         

 

            Outlining, "Curbing", Edging; unlimited ideas to spruce up your yard.

 

Try some of these ideas:  These are photos of BEFORE & AFTER

 

I hope you have enjoyed the photos and ideas I have shared regarding this very important subject.

IT DOES NOT have to cost a mint to accomplish dramatic changes in the "APPEAL" a property has to a prospective buyer.

PUCKETT PROPERTY MANAGEMENT (here in Northern Illinois) incorporates a plethora of IDEAS when presenting "management contract/services" and HOW even small amounts of CURB APPEAL can be an integral part of NOI (net operating income)

Be sure to contact Patti or Dave at: 815-378-8607 OR puckettpatti@yahoo.com for more information or to obtain a consultation for PROPERTY MANAGEMENT services in BOONE and WINNEBAGO COUNTY, IL

Comments (9)

Gary Woltal
Keller Williams Realty - Flower Mound, TX
Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth

Patti, I've heard some Realtors say ALL the marketing money should be put into landscaping and staging a home. It certainly is worth it when you see the appeal upgrades as illustrated with your photos.

May 29, 2008 05:54 AM
Pam Dent
Gayle Harvey Real Estate, Inc. - Charlottesville, VA
REALTOR® - Charlottesville Virginia Homes / Horse

Hi Patti - Landscaping can make a huge difference and if you do the work yourself it is relatively inexpensive.

 

May 29, 2008 02:27 PM
* Rate A Home
Rate A Home - Saugatuck, MI

Patti, Dave and yourself have done a great job! Looks excellent.

May 29, 2008 05:37 PM
Kimble Bosworth
Proforma Printelligence - Nashville, TN
bozTEAM

Patti, This is so timely. I was JUST having the 'rock' conversation with a client. A rock border on a planting bed also makes such a huge difference at the street when there is no curb. Thanks so much for giving me an outlet where I can point her for illustration of this point.

bozTEAM Logo

May 30, 2008 12:28 AM
Patti A. Puckett
Broker Associate/Realtor/ISA with Nouveau Riche - Belvidere, IL

KIMBLE: GOSH; thanks for the awesome response!  I LOVE when timing is perfect; and I also love to know when I have been helpful so again THANKS

 

Pam:  you are so right; I believe you need to learn when its cost effective for YOU to do the work and WHEN its cost effective to "farm" it out!

Gary: I, too believe that money spent in curb appeal is money well spent  ( of course it goes without saying, or maybe I SHOULD say it: don't go overboard if you are not intending on this to be your FOREVER home!

May 30, 2008 08:28 AM
Tanya Venable
Orlando, FL
SEO, Mobile SEO, and Internet Marketing Consultant

Patti, It looks great. I know buyers will fall in love with it when you get ready to sell!  Curb appeal is very important. You've got to make them want to come through the front door.

May 30, 2008 01:35 PM
Shannon Lefevre
John R. Wood Properties - Naples, FL
Shannon Lefevre, PA Your Naples Smart Girl

Those are awesome before and after pictures.  I remember when I first started in the biz a colleague descibed a listing as an oyster...ugly on the outside but pretty on the in....curb appeal can do WONDERS for a successful sale! :)

May 31, 2008 05:49 AM
Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

Patti:  I enjoyed the photos.  Great examples of what little effort it takes to make a house more attractive.  My husband and I added another mulch bed this year and even though there is nothing planted in it, it makes the house look so much nicer.  Breaks up the yard.

Jun 01, 2008 02:13 PM
Patti A. Puckett
Broker Associate/Realtor/ISA with Nouveau Riche - Belvidere, IL

Tanya; GOSH; from your mouth to Gods ears!  LOL We sure hope that is the case when we are ready

Shannon, I think that is a unique description to use; THANKS (I might steal that, ok with you?)

Chris Ann: I absolutely agree with you; the simplest of efforts. Dave and I were out working more on our yard this past weekend. I swear by Miracle Grow; I could be a walking commercial for those miracle vitamins  hahah

Jun 02, 2008 03:13 AM