Home sellers should give top priority to
improving their home's curb appeal—the view that buyers see when they drive
by or arrive for a showing. A large percentage of home buyers decide whether
or not to pursue a house based on that initial impression, so take steps to
ensure you won't lose them before they have a chance to see the interior.
Get Detached
It's difficult to look at our own house in the same way that potential home
buyers do. When we become accustomed to the way something looks and
functions, we cannot see its faults. Your goal is to open your eyes and stop
thinking of the property as a home. It's a house—a commodity you want to
sell for the highest dollar possible.
Curb Appeal Exercise
The next time you come home, stop across the street or far enough down the
driveway to get a good view of the house and its surroundings.
View the property from the same position as
a home buyer who is doing a drive-by.
- What would be your impression of the
house and yard area if you were seeing it for the first time?
- What are the best exterior features of
the house or lot? Can you enhance them even more?
- What are the worst exterior features
of the house or lot? How can you minimize or improve them?
- Park where a potential buyer would and
walk towards the house, looking around you as if it were your first
visit. Is the path clean and tidy?
- Start making a list of your positive
and negative feelings about the property's appearance.
- Take photos of the home's exterior. If
you have a digital camera, view the color versions first, then switch
the photos to greyscale. Sometimes it's easier to see problems when
color isn't present to affect our senses.
Evening Appeal is Important
Do the exercise again at dusk or just after dark. It's not unusual for
potential buyers to drive by houses in the evening, so its curb appeal
should extend into the nighttime hours.
Outdoor lighting is nearly always a plus:
- String low voltage lighting along your
drive way, sidewalks, and around landscaping elements.
- Add a decorative street lamp or an
attractive light fixture to a front porch.
- Solar versions of outdoor lights are
quick and easy to install, but only work when they receive full sun each
day.
- Lighting that's visible through front
windows should enhance the home's appearance.
The Rear View
Buyers doing a drive by will try their best to see your back yard. If it's
visible from another street or from someone's driveway, it should be a part
of your curb appeal efforts.
A Few Ideas
The tasks you must complete will be specific to your list, but here are some
general tips:
- Kill mold and mildew on the house,
sidewalks, roof, or driveway.
- Stow away unnecessary garden
implements and tools.
- Clean the windows and gutters.
- Pressure wash dirty siding and dingy
decks.
- Keep sidewalks and driveways clean.
- Edge sidewalks and remove vegetation
growing between concrete and bricks.
- Mow the lawn regularly. Get rid of
weeds.
- Rake and dispose of leaves, even if
your lot is wooded.
- Trim tree limbs that are near or
touching the roof.
Landscaping Decisions
There are times that adding elements to your landscaping can help curb
appeal, but there are also times when removing something is more
effective.
Here's an example
We had a listing for a large brick house with white columns in front. Tall
evergreens, planted in front of each column, had grown taller than the roof.
They obscured the columns and windows and made it difficult to see the front
of the house.
We suggested that the owner remove them.
She trimmed them back, but it didn't do the trick—they were unattractive and
still kept potential buyers from seeing the true character of the house.
I sold the house to a couple who could see
past the trees. One of their first tasks after closing was to yank them out
of the ground, instantly boosting the home's curb appeal.
The Moral of the Story
Most buyers cannot visualize changes, and often won't take a second look at
a house if the first isn't appealing to them. Those who can visualize
changes, and are prepared to make them, expect YOU to reduce the price of
the house to compensate for the work.
The owner of the house in the story was
comfortable in the house and couldn't understand why leaving the trees in
place made a difference. She forgot that you have to show buyers the best
aspects of a property—you cannot expect them to imagine improvements on
their own.
Other Enhancements
- If you can budget it, a fresh paint
job does wonders for a dingy house. Drive around to find color schemes
that are appealing
- How about a more attractive front
door, maybe something with leaded glass inserts?
- If you can't justify the cost of a new
door, consider replacing plain doorknob hardware with something more
attractive.
- If new hardware is beyond your budget,
how about repainting or staining the door and polishing the hardware?
If you brainstorm, you'll find that there's
a solution to most problems—one that lets you stay within your budget.
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