Selling Tips >> Yard Appeal

Curb Appeal When Selling a Home

Picture this. A couple pulls up in front of the home you are selling. They are potential buyers, and they are out with their real estate agent shopping for homes. The roll the windows down, take one look at the yard and the front of the home, and then they drive away without even getting out.

This is an example of curb appeal (or the lack of it) turning away potential buyers before they've even seen the inside of the home. And it happens all the time. So when you are staging your home for sale you must include the home's outer appearance, including the yard.

In other words, you must strive for the kind of curb appeal that makes a great first impression and pulls people into the home. The curb appeal tips and ideas below will help you get started. But first, let's cover a bit of terminology...

Curb Appeal Defined

When potential buyers pull up to the curb in front of your home, you want the home to appeal to them as much as possible. This gives a good first impression, so it should part of your home staging checklist.

Here are some tips to help you stage your home's exterior for maximum curb appeal (and a better chance of selling the home).

Staging Your Home's Exterior

• Begin the process by creating a list of items that need your attention. The best way to do this is to stand out by the curb in front of your home (much like a buyer would). Take a notepad with you, and jot down any issues that "leap" out right away.
• Pay particular attention to the health and status of your lawn, the paint on your home's exterior, flowers and shrubs, and the home's entryway.
• Now have a friend or family member perform a similar inspection. Tell them to be as honest and objective as possible. It should only take them about ten minutes to spot areas that need attention. Combine their list with your list.
• Keep the lawn mowed and neatly edged. A nicely mowed lawn does wonders for curb appeal, so you might have to mow every few days while the home is on the market (depending on where you live, season, etc.).
• Have your windows professionally cleaned. Windows that sparkle add a nice finishing touch to your overall curb appeal "package."
• Paint schemes are a big part of curb appeal. So if your home's exterior paint is faded, chipped or otherwise in bad shape, give it a fresh coat. Give special attention to doors, shutters and trim.
• The paint scheme should be cohesive. So if the shutters and doors are different colors, you should probably make them the same. When standardizing the color scheme, choose the more neutral color of the two.

Start Early With the Lawn

It's important to remember that lawn improvements take time. If, for example, your lawn is patchy, brown or weedy, you may need to call in the professionals to get it back to beautiful as quickly as possible.

Unlike a paint touch-up or a faucet upgrade, there are no quick fixes with a lawn. So start your lawn treatment as early as possible before listing the home for sale.

Curb Appeal Conclusion

Remember, potential home buyers will see the exterior of your home before they see the interior. If the outside of the home (the yard, the paint, the entryway) makes a bad first impression on buyers, they will bring that negativity inside the home with them. So when staging your home for sale be sure to work on the home's exterior as well.

Looking for tips on how to stage and sell your home effectively? If so, you've come to the right place!