You know the phrase, “you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression?” In real estate, truer words were never spoken! Curb appeal is your house’s first impression to potential buyers. And if your house doesn’t make a great first impression from the outside, many buyers won’t bother to find out how fantastic the interior is. Assuming the condition of the exterior is already in good shape (roof, siding/paint, quality windows, landscaping) there are still little things that can make a big difference.
Whether your goal is to sell quickly or for top dollar, these small investments will pay huge dividends. Your Franklin, TN Realtors, Warren Bradley Partners, proudly offers an insider’s guide to curb appeal to maximize profits and shorten the length of days on market.
Tidy Up
Tidying the exterior of your home should be one of the first things you do. That means minimizing clutter in the driveway, yard and porch. Put the bikes and lawncare tools away, make sure outdoor toys or equipment is clean, organized and neat. Cut the grass.
A yard that looks cluttered and unkempt gives the expectation that the inside is messy or… worse… doesn’t have enough space! Neatness provides the impression of spaciousness and is very inviting.
Continue the Living Space
Most people don’t buy a home to stay sequestered away inside. Adding a seating area outside can help potential buyers envision their lives at the property, whether it’s a glass of sweet tea on a warm summer day or watching the kids play.
Having a bench in the front flower garden or a couple of rocking chairs on the front porch welcomes and invites them in. Don’t have a porch or a good seating area? Create one! A couple of chairs around a few paving stones with a small side table may be all you need to carve out a niche of extra welcome.
Make sure the seating is fresh and clean, not raggedy or dated. Don’t hide all the outdoor living space in the backyard. Remember those first impressions when a customer walks up the drive or opens that first online photo.
Color, Color, Color
What a difference a bit of color can make to the exterior appeal! Don’t want to repaint the entire house? Paint the front door. A fresh coat with a pop of color that contrasts with the house color can change the entire appearance and feel.
Clear out the dead flower beds and plant some colorful annual flowers. Nothing is more inviting than pulling up to a house and seeing a vibrant, alive garden welcoming someone.
Speaking of welcome, spend a few dollars to buy a new welcome mat. It’s an easy and inexpensive way to add color and cleanness to your curb appeal.
The outdoor living space is also a perfect opportunity for color. Colorful Adirondack chairs or bright throw pillows on the front porch swing invigorate the seating area.
Add Visual Interest
No potential buyer wants to walk up to a house and feel a sense of dread from a boring exterior. Add visual interest to your curb appeal. Varying height and texture of shrubbery and flowers creates depth. Add window box flowers or hanging baskets to elevate the beauty and color above the ground. Refresh the mailbox and make sure the house numbers are easily visible, clean and match the overall aesthetic mood of the property.
Complementary tones and contrasting tones can both add interest. Touch up the shutters or add them if you don’t have any. These little touches will sweep your house away from the doldrum.
When you’re ready to sell your home, the Zeitlin Sotheby realtors at Warren Bradley Partners can guide you in preparing your home with inviting curb appeal. With more than 30 years of experience as Franklin, TN, realtors, they know the best ways to stage the outside and inside of your home to attract the perfect buyer.
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