subject: 10 Ways To Add Curb Appeal To Your Home [print this page] In these challenging economic times, selling a home can be more difficult than ever, depending on local market conditions. But one thing that rings true in any market is that first impressions are everything.
That is especially true when it comes to buying a house.
What is a first impression? It's as simple as someone driving down your street, slowing down to peer at your house, and then heading on their way.
It means you have just a few seconds to grab someone's attention, a few seconds to make potential buyers want to delve deeper. A few seconds for someone to think, "Wow, that house looks nice; I want to see what it looks like inside."
There are many things sellers can do to improve that first impression and enhance curb appeal. Many are simple and don't take much time or money. Things like:
1.Maintaining landscaping. Make sure the lawn is mowed and bushes and hedges are tidy. If you're selling in the fall, keep up with the fallen leaves. Trees should be trimmed. You should be able to see your house from the street and in photographs; don't let overgrown trees hide it.
2.Clearing the clutter. Let buyers have an unobstructed view of the house. That means don't park your vehicles in the driveway or out on the curb and make sure the kids' bikes and scooters are out of sight.
3.Sprucing up your door. Depending on how much you have or want to spend, that could mean replacing the door, cleaning it, painting it, or adding a new knocker.
4.Cleaning the windows. Power wash the glass and keep it sparkling.
5.Pressure washing walkways, patios and decks.
6.Making your home say "Welcome", whether it's by adding a tasteful wreath to your door, a welcome door mat, or a planter or two full of flowers flanking the door (one on each side is a nice touch).
7.Adding some color to your front yard. Go to the local nursery and grab some colorful annuals red, yellow, purple. Plant a few bursts of color in strategic spots such as along the walk way or spots that are visible from the main street.
8.Lighting it up outdoors. There's a good chance potential buyers will be driving by for a pre-viewing look at night. Make sure you have your outdoor lights on. Also, some strategic landscape lighting is always a nice touch.
9.Cleaning gutters and painting them to match the trim.
10.If you can afford it, paint the house. It's amazing how much a fresh coat will improve the appearance.
And keep in mind that these days curb appeal also means web appeal how a potential buyer views photos of your house that they see in online listings.
Experts say that sometimes the easiest first step is taking a picture of your house.
Then ask yourself what could be done to show off the property's best features.
For example, is your listing dwarfed by overgrown bushes and trees? Simply trimming the greenery can make the home appear larger, says Barb Schwarz, president and founder of the International Association of Home Staging Professionals and a real estate licensee in La Quinta, Calif., in Realtor magazine.
And if you have a little more to invest, the 2009 Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report published by Hanley Wood publications shows that small-scale exterior projects are the most profitable at resale in addition to adding curb appeal.
Across the country, some 8 of the 10 top projects for cost recovered were exterior replacement projects that cost less than $14,000.
Some of those replacement projects include:
* Certain types of door and siding replacements recovered more than 80 percent of the cost at the time of resale.
* Wood deck additions also recovered about 80 percent.
* Steel entry door replacement recouped some 128.9 percent of the cost.
* Upscale fiber-cement siding replacements recovered some 83.6 percent.
"Once again, this year's Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report highlights the importance of a home's first impression," said NAR President Vicki Cox Golder, owner of Vicki L. Cox & Associates in Tucson, Ariz. "With exterior projects returning a high percent of project costs upon resale, Realtors can help give your home curb appeal while adding value to the real estate transaction."
