In the meantime however for those that are selling their homes curb appeal is a must and it doesn't always mean spending thousands of dollars.
First take a good look around your home. What do you notice?
Are there weeds in the flower beds? If so pull them. Are there dead flowers or plants? If so clean them out and replace. If you can't replace them add a few bags of mulch or garden bark which will make your beds look well maintained even without plants or flowers.
Check that your mailbox is sturdy, clean and if broken or damaged replace it.
Check all of your outdoor lighting making sure all of the lights turn on and nothing is burned out.
Do you have house numbers? If so, are they visible from the street?
How is the paint? Painting the outside of your home can be expensive but it gives a drab or dated house a fresh face, so if needed get it done. House colors are something to touch on briefly. If you like the color purple great...however not everyone does so paint your new house purple when you move into it but the rule of thumb is to stick to neutral colors when selling which goes for the inside paint colors as well.
How is your front door? If it looks old and dated it is best to replace it or at the very least paint it. Our home is brown with white trim and our front door is painted black which adds contrast. We also added black shutters to our front window which ties it all together.
Are there trees or shrubs blocking the view of your home or entrance? If so get them pruned back or in some cases removing large trees really opens up the front of the home making it much more welcoming.
Make sure your sprinklers are in working order, as a buyer will notice if a patch of grass is dying and it will alert them that there is a sprinkler issue.
Add some character to the porch...potted flowers by the door, a bench and a welcome mat. Remove all the shoes before the open house, sweep it off and you should be ready to get that sold sign hung!
Again, take a really good look around the outside of your home and try to remember that you are selling this home, so please don't take it personally when your home stager suggests painting your lovely aqua blue home with purple trim (yes we have a house like this in our area) to a more neutral color. We stagers along with your realtor want you to get the most money for your home and it isn't our intention to insult you along the way, but rather help you put your homes best face forward.
Happy curb appealing!!!
Apryl
Here are some great before and after curb appeal photos.