Curb Appeal

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Home Improvement

Curb Appeal

 

You know that in these times of soft real estate sales, you must do everything in your power to make your for-sale house stand out among the rest. The first place to start is with the first thing that potential buyers see – the front outside of your house. This is called curb appeal, and it can make or break your sale. Below is a checklist of things to do to make the visage of your home the best and most appealing it can be.

 

l Power wash the outside of the house. If you have loose, peeling, cracking paint, you’ll need to have the place painted.

l Power wash the windows outside and clean them on the inside. Be sure to remove debris and cobwebs—these will make windows look dull.

l Clean out gutters and replace if they’re rusty, bent or look old and in disrepair.

l Rake up leaves and dead vegetation and dispose of it.

l Keep the lawn mowed throughout the sales process. Make sure sidewalks and walkways are edged neatly.

l Get rid of weeds, dandelions and grass growing up through the driveway or sidewalks.

l Trim trees so that no limbs are touching the roof.

l Affix or replace loose roof shingles.

l Make sure all yard tools and toys are stowed away. Roll up that hose neatly.

l Put bikes, skateboards and scooters in the garage.

l If you have a basketball hoop, replace the net if it’s torn, dingy or worn.

l Trim back unruly, unkempt bushes. Remove them altogether if they look scraggly and dry no matter what you do.

l Install a motion detector light in the front yard so when lookers come by in the evening, they can see the front of the house.

l Install low-wattage ground lights along the front walkway.

l Keep the walkway to the house, the driveway and sidewalk in front of the house swept.

l Plant bright-colored flowers and keep them watered and looking beautiful. Remove wilted dead blooms religiously.

l Wherever your foundation shows, place a planter with colorful flowers.

l Give your front door a fresh coat of paint or replace it.

l Replace the door’s hardware and knob.

l Paint or stain your wood fences and repair any broken fencing.

l Replace the mailbox.

l Apply large, clearly visible house numbers to the front of your house.

l Keep garbage barrels in the garage out of sight.

 

Curb appeal extends to the sides and back of your house as well:

l Power wash your deck or patio and sand and stain if necessary.

l Secure any loose railings and boards on your deck.

l Trim bushes and vegetation around your patio or deck.

l Set up attractive, comfortable-looking sitting areas in the back yard. You can stage the outside of the house as well as the inside.

l If you have a dog, be sure to use the pooper scooper on a daily basis. If your dog’s a barker, keep it inside rather than let it stand outside chasing potential buyers away.

l Remove any wasp nests and ant hills from the premises.

l Keep all backyard toys and tools put away and the hose rolled up.