Create Curb Appeal with 10 Instant Fixes

January 04th, 2012
Division: Company

Tags: Buying, Family, Fixes, Selling, Upgrades

Create Curb Appeal with 10 Instant Fixes

When it comes to selling houses, there are some quick and easy things that you can do to create maximum curb appeal to get a sale. One of the first things a potential customer sees when they pull up to take a look at the house is the front yard. Having a great looking lawn is something that every home owner desires, but it’s not the easiest thing in the world to maintain. Depending on where you live, your lawn could become too dry or leaves could make it look unsightly. Debris is the worst thing you can have on your lawn. Certainly having a green lawn is of utmost priority in the curb appeal of a property for sale. As with anything, it will require a little TLC. Here are some quick things that you can do to it to get the most out of the yard’s value:

Plant some seasonal flowers – choose flowers that thrive in your climate
Maintain and plant shrubs – and keep them trimmed
Install a walkway – either brick or stone is beautiful
Install a birdbath or lawn ornaments
Clean up debris, leaves and other unsightly junk

Many quick fixes can be done without costing a lot, except perhaps the walkway. Fortunately, the installation will be a one-time expense and not recurring. The enhancement will be worthwhile and could deliver a big return on your investment. Building a walkway to the front door and planting some shrubs will open the yard up and present a clear path to your home. It will make the potential buyers feel good as they approach the home.

However, the front of the home is only part of the equation. Getting the exterior of your home is equally important to create curb appeal. Some of the easy and quick possibilities can include:

Updating windows or washing them to make them easy to see in and out
Pressure wash the dirt and grime off the side of the house
New paint or touch ups
Shiny new doors or locks
Clean up

Just making sure that the house is spotless when homebuyers drive by is the smartest and most cost effective thing you can do when trying to sell a home. Beyond that, a quick touch up on the paint couldn’t hurt. If the locks look old or have tarnish on them, it may be a minimal investment to get new brass or antiquated locks. This simple trick will cost less than $100 dollars and will also add security value to your home. If you have the resources, installing a new front door would look good to the buyers, as well. If your home has any windows that have cracks in them, or if they are simply getting old and are hard to open, then getting new ones will go a long way in getting your home sold. Some people let dirt from rain, snow or just fingerprints and dust accumulate on the windows, making them look filthy. Clean them up and make your home gleam!

Remember that first impressions are usually what make the buyers bite on a particular home. It may not have anything to do with the overall value of the home, but rather how the home makes them feel.

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