Curb Appeal: Getting Buyer's Inside YOUR Home

Curb appeal is the attractiveness of your home's exterior when viewed from the street. Studies show that a majority of buyers will not get out their car if they do not find your home's curb appeal visually attractive--that is, if they visit your property at all. With more and more people shopping for homes online, potential buyers could be turned off from viewing your property, just based on the listing photo alone! Addressing your home's curb appeal is a critical component in marketing and selling your home.

Why is curb appeal so important in selling your home? It forms potential buyers’ first impressions of your home. Curb appeal sets the tone for your entire home. Buyers associate the condition of the exterior and landscape with the condition of the interior. Your home's curb appeal must invite buyers to view the rest of the property. In a buyer's market, curb appeal can mean the difference between a home that sells quickly for the asking price and a home that sells after months of sitting on the market for below the asking price.

Assessing Your Home's Curb Appeal

In order to boost your home's curb appeal, you must first identify your trouble areas. This means taking a careful inventory of repairs you need to complete before you begin showing your home. Here are a few tips to help you make a thorough evaluation:

• Stand across the street from your house in order to get the fullest view of the front, the driveway and the sides. Note any painting, repairs or replacements needed. Identify bushes or trees that are overgrown.
• Walk towards your home following the path that a potential buyer would most likely take. Note landscaping needs such as edging, raking, weeding, pruning and trash removal. Look for items that should be removed or hidden such as hoses, sprinklers, trash cans or toys.
• Look through windows to note interior views that detract from your home’s curb appeal.
• Inspect your home’s walkway entrance. Note any cleaning, repairs, painting and lighting needs.
• Perform this evaluation again in the early morning and late evening. Many home buyers will pass by a property on their way to or from work. Seeing your home at different times of the day can reveal other trouble areas.

Enhancing Your Home's Curb Appeal

Once you have identified and addressed your trouble areas, you can then focus on items that enhance your home’s curb appeal. Even with a limited budget, you can greatly enhance your home’s visual appeal by focusing on a few key areas. Items you may consider include:

• Adding colorful seasonal plants to existing flower beds.
• Purchasing new house address numbers and a mailbox.
• Installing a new door with glass inserts.
• Placing a new welcome mat and a grouping of potted plants at the entrance.
• Installing lighting along your driveway or sidewalk.

Photographing Your Home's Curb Appeal

Make sure the photographer takes the best pictures. Great pictures of your home increase your chances of a successful sale. According to the National Association of Realtors, 70 percent of home buyers view a home for the first time from a picture on the Internet. Most Internet shoppers will skip listings with no pictures, and many will skip listings that only have a few pictures. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then what is 20 or more pictures’ worth?

Here are few tips from professional real estate photographers:

• Make sure your lawn is mowed and edged.
• Remove cars, pets and toys before shooting.
• Request shots from multiple angles and levels.
• Find angles that show most of your property without looking cluttered or untidy by the surrounding landscape. Relay this information to the photographer.
• Include as much of the front lawn and landscaping as possible. If your landscaping is not at its best, request the photographer shoot from an angle that includes more sky.

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