That old expression is true: "you never get a second chance to make a first impression. And it's as true for real estate as it is for first dates and job interviews. Your house needs to look great outside to get buyers to come inside. So when it comes to staging your home for sale, the first thing you should do is stage the outside.
Remember, house hunters often book as many as ten appointments a day. Hotel Touring is exhausting for them. So if they drive up to a house and it doesn't look appealing, they're likely to say, "Never mind". We don't need to go in. Let's just skip this one. " House hunters searching online go through the same process. They use the photos as a way to narrow down the number of houses they will visit in person. Make sure you have stunning photos ofyour house online or you will be shooting yourself in the foot.
To get the exterior of your house in tip top shape, you need to look at it objectively. You need to put on "buyer's eyes". Go across the street and look at your house. Pretend you are seeing it for the first time. What do you see? Your first impression Is a positive one or a bad one? Write down your impressions and be very detailed, because this will be your roadmap for achieving the kind of curb appeal that will have house hunters saying "Stop the car! I want to go in. "
Here are some tips for enhancing your home's appearance in the four key areas:
The house: 1)
Is the paint peeling? Is the color in keeping with the other houses in the neighborhood? A fresh coat of paint can literally make itlook like a new house. If it's just dirty, pressure washing will be sufficient. Make sure the windows are clean and sparkling.
The yard: 2)
The lawn should be mowed often in the summer. If there are some bare patches, plant grass seed if you have a few weeks to let it grow in before you list your property. If the lawn is in bad shape and you don't have time to seed, you should invest in laying sod. It costs more than seeding but it will have a huge impact on how buyers perceive your house.
Edge all the walkways and add fresh mulch to the beds to make them look neat and inviting. Make sure foundation plantings are truncated below the bottom of the windows. Overgrown bushes should be trimmed back and there should be no branches obscuring the front door.
Store alltoys, hoses, rakes and other tools out of sight.
In warm months plant brightly colored annuals that can be seen from the street. If watered consistently they will bloom all season.
The entryway: 3)
Once a buyer gets to your front door, he or she will probably have a few minutes to look around while their agent gets the key from the lockbox, so make sure they have something nice to look at, not cobwebs and dead bugs.
Give the front door a fresh coat of paint (dark red, black and black-green are good choices). Polish or replace the door hardware.
Clean the lights and put high wattage bulbs in them.
Plant two pots or urns with bright flowers and place them on either side of the front door. Make sure that the style of the house numbers, the doorbell, thehouse lights and the mailbox are in a consistent style that is compatible with the style of the house.
Buy a new welcome mat, but avoid cutesy sayings like "Wipe Your Paws."
4) Patios, decks and porches:
You can add square footage and value to your home by staging your deck, porch or patio as an outdoor room. Create conversation or eating areas with tables, chairs, plants and accessories so that buyers can imagine themselves enjoying their morning coffee or relaxing there with friends and family.
Using Curb Appeal to Get More Buyers in the Door Interested This:
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