Improve your homes "Curb Appeal"

by Janet Wickell

A large percentage of home buyers decide whether or not to look inside a house or even consider it based on its curb appeal - the view they see when they drive by. You can help make sure they want to come inside your house by spending some time working on your homes exterior appearance.

It's difficult to look at our own house subjectively. You have likely become accustomed and complacent towards the way your homer appears; we can't see its faults. Decide right now to stop thinking of the property as a home. It's a house—a commodity that you want to sell for the highest dollar possible.

FSBO Curb Appeal Exercise

• What is your first impression of the house and yard area?
• What are the best exterior features of the house or lot? How can you enhance them?
• What are the worst exterior features of the house or lot? How can you minimize, eliminate or improve them?

Make a list of the problem areas you discovered. Tackle clean up and repairs first, then put some thought and time into projects that make the grounds more attractive.

• Kill mold and mildew on the house, sidewalks, roof, or driveway.
• Stow away unnecessary garden implements and tools.
• Clean windows and gutters.
• Pressure wash dirty siding and dingy decks.
• Edge sidewalks and remove vegetation growing between concrete or bricks.
• Mow the lawn. Get rid of weeds.
• Rake and dispose of leaves, even if your lot is wooded.
• Consider trimming or removing trees or hedges that block natural light or views from inside your home
• Trim tree limbs that are near or touching the home's roof.

Don't Forget the Rear View

Potential Home Buyers doing a drive by will try their best to see your back yard. If it's visible from another street or from someone's driveway, include it in your curb appeal efforts.

Evening FSBO Curb Appeal

Do your curb appeal exercise again at dusk, because it isn't unusual for potential buyers to drive by houses in the evening after work.

One quick way to improve evening curb appeal is with lighting:

• String low voltage lighting along your driveway, sidewalks, and near important landscaping elements.
• Add a decorative street lamp or an attractive light fixture to a front porch.
• Make sure lighting that's visible through front doors and windows enhances the home's appearance.

Landscaping Decisions

There are times that adding elements to your landscaping can improve curb appeal, but there are other times when removing something is as effective.

It is not uncommon for a small tree or shrubbery to grow unruly overtime. Homeowners are always nervous of cutting down trees that they planted. Unfortunately they frequently obscure the true character of a house.

Most potential home buyers have difficulty visualize changes, and often won't take a second look at a house if the first look doesn't appeal to them. Home buyers who can visualize changes, and are prepared to make them, expect you to reduce the price of the house to compensate for the work they plan to do.

A Few FSBO Curb Appeal Ideas

• If you can budget it, a fresh paint job always does wonders for a house. Drive around your town or visit a Paint Store to find color schemes that are appealing.
• Install a more attractive front door, maybe something with leaded glass inserts. If you can't justify the cost of a new door, consider replacing plain doorknob hardware with something more attractive.
• If nothing else repaint or stain the door and polish the hardware.

If you brainstorm, you'll find that there's a solution to most problems—one that lets you stay within your budget. The trick is to find the areas where improvements are needed, then work on them as best you can.

SELL YOUR OWN HOME – FREE FSBO Real Estate Products and Tips!