Improve Your Curb Appeal to Sell Your House Faster
Sam Chapman
December 16, 2009
Seeing a house for the first time is a lot like meeting someone for the first time. You get a first impression and in general it sticks with you. If you are selling in today´s market, your curb appeal must be better than other homes buyers are looking at. So what can you do to improve your curb appeal to help sell your house faster?
First, take a critical look at the front of the house from all angles. Go across the street and look from directly across the street and then walk up and down the street to see how the house looks from different angles. Look in the early morning, in the middle of the day, in the evening and at night. Make notes of how the house looks.
Look at the landscaping. Is the yard green, does it have patchy grass, are there weeds in the lawn, do trees obscure the house from the street, are shrubs blocking any windows, does the roof look good, are the gutters full of leaves? Look at the lighting in the evening and at night. Does the house look bright and warm and do all the light bulbs work? Look at the finish. If it is painted, does all of the paint, including that on a door or on window trim, look new? If it brick or stone, is there any mildew on the house? Are there any cracks or is there any missing mortar? Look at general things. Is a garden hose laying out, is the driveway stained, does the mailbox look good? Are the windows clean? All of these things can be a distraction and can be fixed.
Some tips to having great curb appeal:
Make sure windows are clean
Make sure the landscaping looks great
Mow the lawn
Edge the sidewalk and driveway
Make sure the lawn and plants are green
Eliminate weeds
Apply fresh mulch around trees and shrubs
Trim any branches and prune any shrubs that block the house
Make sure driveways and sidewalks are clean and crack free
Clean the gutters
Add flowers for color – pots on a porch can do a lot too
Power wash brick, stone or a tile roof to remove mildew or mold
Make sure all exterior lights work
Clean all exterior fixtures like lights, fences and rails
Make sure window trim looks new – pain if needed
Paint or replace the front door to make it look new and attractive
Make sure all hardware like door knobs and hinges look new – replace if needed
Buy a new welcome mat
Make sure the mailbox looks as new as possible
Take these steps and anything else you can think of to improve you curb appeal and sold faster.
Author Bio:
Sam Chapman is an Austin real estate agent who has lived and worked in Austin since 1987. Learn about a method that can help you sell your house faster even in a down market.
First, take a critical look at the front of the house from all angles. Go across the street and look from directly across the street and then walk up and down the street to see how the house looks from different angles. Look in the early morning, in the middle of the day, in the evening and at night. Make notes of how the house looks.
Look at the landscaping. Is the yard green, does it have patchy grass, are there weeds in the lawn, do trees obscure the house from the street, are shrubs blocking any windows, does the roof look good, are the gutters full of leaves? Look at the lighting in the evening and at night. Does the house look bright and warm and do all the light bulbs work? Look at the finish. If it is painted, does all of the paint, including that on a door or on window trim, look new? If it brick or stone, is there any mildew on the house? Are there any cracks or is there any missing mortar? Look at general things. Is a garden hose laying out, is the driveway stained, does the mailbox look good? Are the windows clean? All of these things can be a distraction and can be fixed.
Some tips to having great curb appeal:
Make sure windows are clean
Make sure the landscaping looks great
Mow the lawn
Edge the sidewalk and driveway
Make sure the lawn and plants are green
Eliminate weeds
Apply fresh mulch around trees and shrubs
Trim any branches and prune any shrubs that block the house
Make sure driveways and sidewalks are clean and crack free
Clean the gutters
Add flowers for color – pots on a porch can do a lot too
Power wash brick, stone or a tile roof to remove mildew or mold
Make sure all exterior lights work
Clean all exterior fixtures like lights, fences and rails
Make sure window trim looks new – pain if needed
Paint or replace the front door to make it look new and attractive
Make sure all hardware like door knobs and hinges look new – replace if needed
Buy a new welcome mat
Make sure the mailbox looks as new as possible
Take these steps and anything else you can think of to improve you curb appeal and sold faster.
Author Bio:
Sam Chapman is an Austin real estate agent who has lived and worked in Austin since 1987. Learn about a method that can help you sell your house faster even in a down market.
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