Four Steps To Improving Curb Appeal When Selling Your Home

Curb appeal can be one of the most important parts of marketing and trying to sell a home. Gardens and a well tailored yard will stop buyers in their tracks as their driving around searching for a home or flipping through photos. It is the first impression of your home and tells a buyer how much you care for your home. If you manicure and care for the outside of your property, it stands to reason you would care for the inside as well. Additionally, homes with well manicured gardens and yards sell more quickly and for higher price that those which have been neglected.

It doesn't have to be costly or time consuming to prep your yard to beckon the buyers. Following the simple guidelines below will have them knocking on your door as you try to sell a house.

1. Edges and Borders. Nothing says welcome home like brightly colored flowers lining a path to a front door or framing a garden lining the front of the house. Impatiens are perfect in the shade and periwinkles and pansies are prolific smiling faces for sunny locations. Lining the beds with mulch like cocoa bean mulch or wood chips will give it the manicured, "finished" look. Don't forget to edge or weed eat the grass and weeds in the driveway or sidewalks.

2. Large and small containers filled with brightly colored flowers and flowers and greens spilling over the edge can be placed in drab areas of the yard to add interest. This is particularly important for a vacant property which can look abandoned or neglected without furniture. This lets the buyer know that you still are caring for and tending to the property even though nobody lives there.

3. Walk the outer perimeter of the property as well and rake up leaves, pull weeds and use hedge clippers to cut baby trees. A serious buyer will want to walk the entire perimeter of the property to view what they are going to be enjoying or what work they will need to do. Cleaning up the debris along the fence line and the perimeter of the property will ease their minds and allow them to focus on the potential of their gardens and outdoor projects instead of focusing on what you, the seller, has neglected to maintain.

4. Decks and outdoor patios are excellent selling features, and they are where the buyer will be picturing that morning cup of coffee and the paper. It is important that there are container gardens to draw their eyes to this area, and a small seating area will entice them to begin viewing the area as their own. Rent a power washer to wash the dirt and grime and leave it sparkling and fresh.

Bathrooms and kitchens may be what sells a property, but the yard and curb appeal will bring buyers inside. Sellers should pay close attention to the "look" of their home on the outside.

Area of property - Convenience seems to be a big concern for Americans today. We live in the "hustle and bustle" times. Having everything at your finger tips seems to be priority these days, to make life easier. When looking for a property, you may want to look at different variables such as local schools, are the interstates close by, how convenient is shopping and entertainment. As a property manager these are the main questions I am asked by potential renters.

Neighbors - By driving the neighborhood on several different occasions, you will get a feel of how potential neighbors are. Look at the property and the neighborhood from a renters prospective. When a prospective renter drives by, will they keep on driving? Are the home, landscaping and neighborhood appealing enough to the eye that they can picture themselves living and raising a family there? And what to the houses close by look like? How are the neighbors? A "for sure" sign is the cars in the driveway. Are the cars nice or are the junk? The type of cars driven by home owners in the neighborhood should be a good indication of both the type of people living around you or your potential renters as well as the security of the neighborhood.

Curb Appeal - A nicely groomed yard, and a fresh coat of paint on the exterior of the home are key to attracting both buyers and potential renters. Who wants to live in a house with cracked paint on the outside, or an overgrown yard…"If its appealing to the eye, better chance is they are going to buy."

Interior - What's the size of the home? How big are the bedrooms? Is the living space beneficial for an average sized family? If the home is too small, chances are you will attract mostly "singles" vs. couples or families. By attracting singles, your rental income will not escalate as vastly. Shared expenses such in a roommate type situation, mean less impact than what would be on a family so to speak, bottom line is that persons who are sharing expenses can absorb more rent increase over a period of time vs. before needing to move.

Condition of home - Does the home need new carpet? Do the bathrooms need remodeling? Is the kitchen roomy? The first thing that the renter sees when walking into a home is the floor. Dirty, dingy carpet is the biggest turn off inside a home. If a bathroom is outdated or cramped, it detours a potential renter. The kitchen is 9 times out of 10 your selling point. If the kitchen has enough space to cook those holiday meals where several people can move freely within, and there is ample cabinet space and counter space, you're sure to sell this home.

Don't forget to consider if the home is dirty, or smoky. When buying or renting a home, make sure all baseboards, window sills, and crevices are clean. If the walls are smoke stained, then toss a fresh coat of "oyster colored" paint on the walls. I wouldn't suggest using white paint. It shows all dirt and smoke, etc. After all who wants to live in a dirty home.