Hanging baskets in Thornbury, South Gloucestershire. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Buyer Beware! (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
English: Durham recycling containers ready for pickup on the curb of Vickers Ave. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Sectional-type overhead garage doors in the style of carriage house doors. They are steel with exterior cladding. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
When it comes to selling your home, how the front of the house looks is paramount. Why? It’s the first impression, the calling card to a buyer that says, “Come on in! If you think this looks great, wait until you see the rest!”
The condition of the lawn and landscaping, the driveway, the garden, the windows, garage door and front door can be a deciding factor for a buyer before they even step out of their vehicle. Some buyer’s may not even get out of their vehicle if they don’t find the front of a house appealing. You could have every bell and whistle indoors, but how will they ever know?
Take an objective look at the front of your house. Stand at a distance, perhaps across the street from your home. How does it look? Take a quick snap shot. (Polaroids were/are great for this but digital works too!) What areas need to be addressed?
•Make note of any painting that needs to be refreshed. Can the garage doors and front door use a fresh coat of paint? Perhaps a change of colour? What about window trim?
•How do the trees and hedges look? Do they need to be trimmed? Consider adding some flowers to your flower beds and some decorative planters both on the ground and perhaps also some hanging baskets. Consider seeding any bald patches on your lawn or hide them with strategically placed decorative stones or planters.
•What state is your driveway in? Could it use a fresh coat of paint/sealant? It’s amazing what a difference this small detail can make to the look of a home.
•Are your eaves troughs secured properly and free of leaves and twigs? Clean them out.
•Replace any lighting that has burned out. Add strategically placed spot lights and solar lights around pathways to illuminate the home in the evening. (Buyers are out at night too!)
•Everything has a place and everything in its place. Ensure that there is no garbage or debris anywhere. Sweep the driveway, keep the plants and grass watered to liven them up, tidy up garden hoses and find a place for garbage and recycling bins. They don’t belong on the driveway or the front porch!
•Put out a welcome mat. So simple. So effective.
•Consider shiny new house numbers. Why not!
•Clean your windows! Enough said.
With a little planning and organization, this is a minimal investment of a couple of weekend’s worth of work. But the return on this investment is more than worthwhile. It could mean a quicker sale and it could mean getting a better offer. It’s a no brainer really. So take care of the curb appeal of your home and get it sold!
Team Peroff Blog 