Curb Appeal Tips That May Not Have Crossed Your Mind
Posted on: 7 May 2016
Curb appeal is what gets buyers inside the door to view your home. You should start thinking about the first impression your house makes long before you put up that "For Sale" sign.
Install Plantings Long Before You Move
With all that is involved with moving, you may neglect trying to work on the yard until the very end. This can be disastrous if your house doesn't sell before you move. Ideally, you should re-landscape your yard a year before you sell. Plants need time to become established, and unless you've lined up someone to water and care for new plantings, you will have a yard full of dead plants creating curb un-appeal. For example, a tree in a cold climate can take one growing season per inch of trunk diameter before it is established, meaning a tree or shrub with a one-inch diameter trunk will take at least a year before it doesn't need any special care. If you won't have time to see new landscaping through its establishment phase, it may be best to dress up the yard another way. Talk to a local landscaper about how to make what you already have look its best.
Look At The Roof
Most people never look at their roofs, but buyers do. A dirty or damaged roof can make potential buyers drive right by. Spending the time and money to have your roof cleaned or even replaced not only adds curb appeal, but it adds value to your home. If you can't afford to replace an old roof, at least clean it and fix any obvious leaks. Offer potential buyers some sort of deal, like a contingency that you will repair the roof before closing or give them a price reduction in compensation.
Get a Second Set of Eyes
Little things you see every day, like hairline cracks in the sidewalk or chipped paint on the front door may be invisible to you, but they stand out to someone looking for a well-maintained home. Get your real estate agent or a neighbor to walk around the house in the daylight and early evening and point out little things that you need to address, such as cobwebs on the front porch, the ratty mailbox or that one solar walkway light that isn't working. Every little thing counts when you're trying to make a good first impression.
Selling your house is hard enough without driving buyers off before they have a chance to look at it. Start early working on your home's curb appeal for your best seller's experience. To learn more, visit a website like http://sell-4free.net/.
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