What is curb appeal?
“Curb appeal is a term used to describe the general attractiveness of a house or other piece of property from the sidewalk to a prospective buyer. This term is often used by realtors trying to sell or evaluate a piece of property.”
First impressions matter, often times people will drive around and look for what homes have a sign on their yard, in neighborhoods people are considering. A good way to start is to go out to the road and look at your house, so you can see what other people see, when they are driving around looking.
It doesn’t have to cost a lot, to spruce the front yard up but a couple of bucks may make a big difference on first impressions. Is the grass cut and trimmed, weeds? Are there any nice plants in your yard? Your selling and probably don’t want to spend money cause you want to move but it may bring you more money on the home sale. You can look for some plants on sale, or even hanging flowers if you have a porch may add a nice touch. Hooks are inexpensive, just drill a pilot hole and then screw in a hook and you can add a touch of color!
A planter at the front entrance near the door is always nice as well and you can take it with you.
How does your mailbox look? If it looks old and weathered, it may be worth replacing. How does the front door look? A can of outdoor paint is not very expensive and the color could be coordinated with other colors on the house. If you have a storm door, make sure the glass is clean, clean, clean. Also, look at your window trim, if its vinyl it should be fine, may need a clean but if you have painted trim, make sure its not peeling, or get a scraper and repaint.
This house shows off a couple of ideas, the front door matches, a few small tress and plants, mulch is inexpensive and black or colored rocks can be a nice substitute.
A bright entrance is inviting, so make sure your entrance lighting is working and clean away any bug mess. Windows should be clean, on the inside as well as the outside. Do you have house numbers outside? People may look for a realtor sign but it is always good to have the numbers in an easy to see spot. Especially if they are driving around looking a various houses, they will write down the address. They may call the agent on a sign or they may call their agent that they are used to working with.
A clear path to your front door and if you have cement, if it looks dirty or the driveway looks dirty, a bit of time on a weekend afternoon to power wash it, may make a big difference.
If you have gutters, make sure they don’t have weeds or debris hanging out of them.
