How to Sell Your Home Faster by Improving Curb Appeal
A large percentage of home buyers decide whether to look inside a house or pass based on curb appeal—the way the house looks on the outside from the street. You can ensure they want to come inside your house by spending some time working on its exterior appearance.
Owners and buyers don’t look at a house the same way; owners often can’t see their house’s faults. Decide to 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 drive up to your house, make a note of the following:
- Your first impression of the house and yard
- The best exterior features of the house or lot
- The worst exterior features of the house or lot
Park where a potential buyer would and walk toward the house, looking around you as if it were your first visit. Is the approach clean and tidy? What could you do to make it more attractive?
Take photos of the house’s exterior. View the color versions first, then remove the color and look at the photos in black and white. It’s easier to see problems when color isn’t around to affect our senses.
Clean and Repair
Make a list of the problem areas you discovered. Tackle cleanup and repair chores first, then put some time into projects that make the grounds more attractive.
- Kill mold and mildew on the house, sidewalks, roof, or driveway.
- Stow away unnecessary garden tools.
- Clean windows and gutters.
- Pressure wash dirty siding and dingy decks.
- Edge sidewalks and remove vegetation growing between concrete or bricks.
- Mow the lawn and get rid of weeds.
- Rake and dispose of leaves, even if your lot is wooded.
- Trim tree limbs near or touching the home’s roof.
Don’t Forget the Rear View
Buyers doing a drive-by will try to see your backyard. If this area is visible from another street or someone’s driveway, include it in your curb appeal efforts.
Evening Curb Appeal
Do your curb appeal exercise again at dusk, because some potential buyers drive by houses in the evening.
One quick way to improve evening curb appeal is with lighting:
- Add a decorative street lamp or an attractive light fixture to a front porch.
- Ensure that lights visible through front doors and windows enhance the home’s appearance.
Landscaping Decisions
There are times that adding elements to your landscaping can improve curb appeal, but there are other times when removing something is even more effective. If a tree has overgrown the house or is blocking an attractive element, you might consider taking it out.
Make the First Look Count
Many buyers can’t visualize changes and often won’t take a second look at a house if the first look doesn’t appeal to them. Homebuyers who can visualize changes—and are prepared to make them—will expect you to reduce the price of the house to compensate for the work they plan to do. Thinking like a buyer before potential buyers start showing up at your curb can entice more people to look at your home and can help you sell the house faster and for the price you want.
Tips
There are simple changes to can make that will give you a lot of bang for your buck:
- A fresh paint job does wonders for a dingy house. Choose eye-catching color schemes.
- Install a more attractive front door.
- 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, repaint or re-stain the door and polish the hardware.