September 20, 2017
Curb appeal is the all-important first impression that drives interest in a home listing. It’s what most potential buyers first see when they are looking at a home, whether in-person or online, and it’s where most realtors first start as they showcase a listing.
Given the importance of curb appeal, it’s fortunate that there are so many affordable, and relatively easy, ways to enhance the way a home’s exterior presents to buyers. By incorporating the following tips, you can make your listing pop without emptying your wallet:
•Painting
Perform touch-ups on every surface and cover up blemishes. To really stand out, paint the doors, trim, and shutters in bold colors, as long as those colors match the rest of the home.
•Mailbox and address marker
Small touches can make a big difference. A stylish new mailbox and some fresh address-number decals are nice details to add.
•Porch lights
It doesn’t matter how nice you’ve made the exterior look if no one can see it. Buyers will want to see how the home looks at night. Ugly or broken porch lights are also very noticeable during the day.
•Plants
Your local nursery probably has a wide selection of hanging and potted plants. It only takes a couple of plants to transform a drab porch into a garden-like retreat.
•Landscaping
You usually don’t need a professional landscaper to do the kind of basic mowing, trimming, hedging and maintenance that will give your listing the clean and tidy look most buyers love.