- Curb Appeal
- Move-in Condition
- Landscaping
- Granite
- Gourmet
- Golf
- Must See
Words that Slow Down a Sale
- Motivated Seller
- Good Value
- As-is
While
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| This was my ugly house in Portland without curb appeal |
many of these words do relate to the interior of the home, curb appeal and landscaping are all about the exterior of the home. Your home may be a showplace on the inside, but how will your potential buyers feel if they drive up to your home and see an overgrown or tired landscape. Your yard is an extension of your home. Think of the exterior of your home as bonus square footage, especially if you live in a location where the weather is mild and outdoor spaces can be used for much of the year.
If you are thinking about selling your home I recommend you take the following steps to assess the exterior condition and landscape and make it more appealing to potential buyers.
Front Exterior Assessment
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| Much better after the reno, don't you think? |
- Drive up to your house just like a potential buyer would drive up. This may mean you park on the street and approach from this location.
- Walk up to your front door. Is the walk in good condition? Is your front porch tidy? Look up. Are there any cobwebs that need to be cleared away?
- Are there any trees or shrubs that are blocking the view to your front entry? If so you need to start trimming. The buyer needs to be able to have a clear view of the front door as it makes the home look more approachable.
- How does your lawn look? Make sure you keep it properly mowed and edged as long as that for sale sign is in your yard. If you have bare spots, fill them. If you have weeds, call in a lawn service to treat the yard. This usually costs less that $50 and is well worth it.
- Are those windows clean? We all hate to wash windows, but the home will sparkle from the outside and be brighter on the inside if you wash the windows.
- When is the last time you mulched your planting beds? Mulch cleans up planting beds making them look fresh and they keep weeds out which saves you from having to pull them.
- Is the paint in good condition on your home? Is the trim around your door freshly painted and clean? If not, break out the paintbrush.
- When was the last time you selected the color palette for your home's exterior? If it has been more than ten years the colors may be dating your home and this could turn off potential buyers. A quick update to trim and shutters could be all that is needed to make you home appealing to today's buyer.
- Does you front porch light work? I know you think buyers only look during the day, but they drive by at night too. Make sure your porch light is in good working order and turn it on so your home glows at night. (Bonus tip: Clean the glass on your porch light too).
- Finally, go inside your home and look out the windows. Do you like what you see? If you don't, do what you can to make it acceptable. This may mean trimming limbs from trees, adding some screening plants to hide the view of your neighbor's garbage cans or adding a few more plants to add visual interest.
Back Yard Assessment
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| In front of our sold sign. |
- Take a look at your lawn furniture. Is it clean and fresh looking? Does it fit well in the space or does it make the space look cluttered or too small? If your outdoor furniture isn't in good shape or makes your patio/deck look small or cluttered place it in your garage or remove extra furniture; after all the furniture does not come with the home.
- How many pots do you have on your patio? You want to make sure that any garden containers are in the right scale to your deck/patio and that they are full of healthy vegetation. If you have too many pots or pots with dead material, you need to move these into the garage as well. Clutter does not sell a house.
- Do you have dogs? If so make sure you are cleaning up after them. Nothing turns a potential buyer off faster than a shoe full of poo.
- Is the patio/deck area free of debris. We all know that trees lose leaves and branches, but while your home is on the market you need to go outside every day or two and sweep off the area.
- Is your deck or patio in good condition? You may need to consider repairs or re-staining.
- Do you have a pool or any other water feature? Make sure both are clean and in working order. Also, remove and put away any pool toys. It just adds clutter.
- Do you have kids that have a million outdoor toys? I do too. Try to contain these toys as best as possible to one area. And if you have a old swing-set or trampoline that is no longer in good use, place an ad on Craigslist and get it out of your yard.
I hope this helps any of you who are thinking about selling your home or have a home that has been on the market for a while. If you do not feel comfortable about doing an assessment on your own, talk to your realtor and/or call a landscape architect for a consultation. Most residential designers, like myself, would be happy to help you get your house ready to sell.
