| Increasing the curb appeal of your home is a | | | | can work miracles! |
| critical element of real estate sales. A large | | | | If you do all of this, so far you will have made a |
| percentage of home buyers decide whether to | | | | big improvement and you won't have spent a |
| arrange to see the inside of a house based on | | | | dime! Now it's on to some of the low-cost curb |
| their initial impression formed when driving past | | | | appeal improvements. |
| the house. That means you usually only have a | | | | Add a pot of blooming flowers by the front door. |
| few minutes, at most, to make a potential buyer | | | | Add flowers where they can be seen from the |
| want to go inside. Make sure your house stands | | | | street. |
| out as one that looks well-taken care of, | | | | Trim, or have a tree surgeon trim, all dead |
| appealing, and inviting. | | | | branches from trees. |
| There are many no-cost and low-cost ways to | | | | Add fresh, dark mulch to your flower beds, and |
| accomplish this. Use the list below as a checklist to | | | | be sure the edges are well tended to. |
| help identify areas of your home which may need | | | | Examine the walks. If they are stone or concrete |
| improvement to make a buyer want to take a | | | | pavers, replace any which are broken, if practical. |
| closer look. | | | | If you have very uneven concrete sidewalks, |
| Remove all weeds and trash. Be sure to remove | | | | consider the cost of repair. If large pieces of |
| the weeds where the curb meets the street. | | | | concrete are jutting up, it may be worth fixing. |
| Buyers don't just want a home where they won't | | | | While painting all of your trim would be lovely, it is |
| have to weed on day one, they want to think | | | | a big, usually expensive undertaking. Consider |
| you took great care of the place. Attention to | | | | giving the front door a fresh coat of paint. It is a |
| detail counts! | | | | quick way to spruce up one of the first places |
| Trim bushes and trees as necessary. You may | | | | people look. |
| like the privacy of having your bushes higher than | | | | Look at your house numbers. If they are tired, |
| your window sills, but to most people, that looks | | | | replace them. Select brass, stainless, black |
| overgrown. Try to keep the end of bushes from | | | | iron...whatever complements the other decorating |
| extending over the borders of the gardens. In | | | | elements. |
| general, when bushes and plants are leaping out of | | | | Look carefully at your mailbox. Whether it is by |
| the gardens, it looks unkempt. | | | | the curb or attached to the house, be sure it isn't |
| Make sure the rain gutters are all fully attached to | | | | dented, hanging askew, and sporting a tired, faded |
| the house and be sure you have cleaned them so | | | | flag. If it is, replace it with a new one. Again, it |
| no plants are growing out of them. | | | | should complement your other decorating |
| Wind up all hoses and put away children's toys, | | | | elements. |
| yard tools, or any other items which are about. | | | | You can even add a seasonal, decorative cover |
| Be sure there are no shutters, awnings, or storm | | | | to your mail box. It is another easy, inexpensive |
| doors which are hanging at funny angles. Use a | | | | way to add some color to the potential buyer's |
| few nails or screws and straighten them up! | | | | view. |
| If your storm door is very tired and you don't | | | | Look critically at your front porch and street |
| want to invest the money in a new one, perhaps | | | | lights. Is the glass clean? Do they need a new |
| removing it all together is a good option. | | | | coat of paint? Do they need to be replaced? |
| Be sure your trash cans are well to the side or | | | | Your house numbers, mail box, mailbox cover, |
| back of the house. | | | | and exterior light fixtures should be more than |
| Keep your garage door(s) closed. If you have a | | | | just fresh and utilitarian; they can be decorating |
| screen door or a storm door, consider leaving the | | | | accents which pull the look of your home |
| interior front door open if you are home...it looks | | | | together. |
| inviting. The same goes for your draperies. Let | | | | These suggestions can be relatively low-cost |
| folks catch a glimpse of a pretty interior, instead | | | | improvements which tell a buyer your house is |
| of seeing a place that looks all closed up. | | | | well cared for. They are ways to make your |
| Be sure everything is clean, clean, clean!! Power | | | | house get on a buyer's "must see" list. Remember |
| wash the sidewalk if you need to. Be sure there | | | | what mom always told you: you never get a |
| is no mildew anywhere in sight. Soap and water | | | | second chance to make a first impression. |