Selling Your Home? 4 Things You Must Do to Increase Curb Appeal
By
Spring has officially sprung, so if you’re considering selling your home, now is the best time to make it look like a million bucks (even if it’s just a modest bungalow in the suburbs). After all, first impressions are lasting impressions, and the street view potential buyers will get when they drive by your home is critically important to getting them to come inside and possibly make an offer.
Make sure your home’s curb appeal is maxed out by doing these four simple things before you stick that “for sale” sign in your front yard.
1. Spruce up the flowerbeds.
If your flowerbeds are lacking, head to the store and buy some live flowers to plant to bring some character to your home. Choose hardy, easy to care for varieties to plant once the weather warms so that it is consistently over 50 degrees.
Both annuals and perennials make good choices, so marigolds, impatiens, pansies, begonias, and zinnias all work well, are relatively low maintenance, and add a beautiful splash of color to the outside of your home without the need for a green thumb.
In addition to planting, make sure your flowerbeds are freshly mulched and weeded. You will want to covey an effortless look that doesn’t leave potential buyers overwhelmed (either with the possibility of massive upkeep or the need for lots of yard work immediately upon move-in), so keep your plant choices simple but beautiful.
2. Edge your driveway and sidewalks.
Grass that grows every which way and hangs into your driveway and sidewalks can make your home’s exterior look sloppy and unkept, which definitely doesn’t increase curb appeal.
Edge the lawn near the borders of your driveway, walkways, and sidewalks either by hand or with a mechanical edger. This will make your front yard and home look clean and well kept, making a positive impression right from the street.
3. Power wash your home’s exterior and driveway.
Even though your home’s exterior and driveway may not look dirty or discolored, it probably is. Increase curb appeal and make your home stand apart from others by using a power washer on your brick or vinyl siding and on your driveway.
Don’t forget to wash the shutters as well, if you have them on your home. Doing this will make the colors brighter and make your home look younger in just a few short hours.
If you do not have a power washer, consider hiring a local company to do the work for you. Most companies offer exterior power washing for less than $500, and it’s an investment that is absolutely worth making.
Be careful if you have older aluminum siding, as too much water pressure could leave dents in it. Consult with a professional if your home has aluminum siding before power washing it.
4. Wash your windows inside and out.
Everyone thinks to clean the inside of their home’s windows when getting their home ready to be put on the market, but few think to wash the outsides of the windows–even though it will help to increase curb appeal nearly immediately.
Rain, snow, bugs, and other factors can make the outside of your windows look cloudy and splotchy, so washing them from the outside as well as the inside can truly make your home sparkle.
5. Trim, prune, mow and sow.
If you have bushes or ornamental trees in your yard, trim and prune them to make them look clean and crisp. Be sure to check with your local garden center before you do this, as different types of bushes, shrubs, and trees require different amounts of pruning or trimming.
Kill off stray dandelions in the yard with a targeted weed killer that won’t harm the grass. Don’t miss the weeds that might have popped up between driveway or sidewalk seams or in cracks in cement.
Mow your lawn so that it looks clean, but not too short. Mowing your grass too short would not increase curb appeal because it can actually make the grass browner instead of helping it to achieve a beautiful shade of green.
Selling and Buying
With these simple tips, you will increase your home’s curb appeal so that people driving by will automatically have their interest piqued. Thus, your home is likely to sell faster and fetch a better sales price as well.
If you think you might want to sell your home and begin shopping for a new one, know that now is a great time to do so. Get prequalified for a mortgage in about 15 minutes so you can meet your homeownership goals. Call us toll-free at 1-866-480-8050 or apply on our website today. Get prequalified and you’ll be one step closer to experiencing what home should feel like!
newsletter no longer available