Preparing Your House to Sell | Curb Appeal

There are many ideas to prepare your house to sell or to give it a new, updated look.?Adding curb appeal is one of the most important things you can do.?First impressions are all about curb appeal.?Many people will form an opinion from the moment they approach a house, even before they get out of the car. Here are some suggestions to get you off to a good start:

Lawn, Beds, Trees and Shrubs

Make sure your lawn is always cut. Depending what time of year, you might want to cut it more often to keep it manicured.?

Trim all bushes and trees. Replace any that are overgrown, on their way out or dead.

Edge and weed all beds and apply a fresh coat of mulch. Edging will give it a clean look. If possible, try to incorporate flowers that are in bloom.

Entryway

Paint the front door.?There are brochures at the paint stores just for the front door, or Google “best front door paint color” and see what you find.

Update the exterior lighting if necessary. A good rule of thumb for?determining?fixture size is to divide the height of your front door by five. This will keep the fixture in proportion with the front entryway without overpowering the space.

Buy a new entryway door mat. I love the “French Court Coir Mat” by Ballard Design.? It comes in several different colors.?I ordered the large in green to go with my green shutters.?It’s a perfect fit.

Add a flowering plant or try using mint in a pot on the front porch. If you don’t have much sunlight, a small boxwood in a pot would be a great alternative.

Make sure your house numbers can be seen from the road. Buy some new ones to give it an updated look.

Exterior

Power wash the outside of the house including decks, patios, and walkways.?If the house needs painting and if you can afford it, give the house a fresh coat of paint or at least the front.?Peeling paint will make the potential buyers feel the house is not well maintained.

Make sure to clean your windows, inside and out.

Don’t forget to spruce up a fence or shed if you have one.

Give attention to the driveway.?If it looks dingy, apply a fresh coat of sealer. If it is a stone driveway, rake it and add new stones if needed.

The mailbox is also important.?Replace it if it needs replacing, or simply paint it or add a “magnetic mailbox cover”.

For more ideas on this topic, check out my Pinterest board “Curb Appeal” at?www.pinterest.com/katurn?or visit my website to get your free book, "Complete Guide to Selling Your Home for More" at?KathleenTurnerRealEstate.com.??To find a Power Agent? in your area, just let me know and I can refer you to another real estate agent who is committed to helping homebuyers and sellers get to their next level in life.