Enhance the Curb Appeal

After last month’s Home Staging post and the great information I received from Chad Neiberger of Ambiance at Home I wanted to write something this month about “curb appeal”.  During my research I came across this article written by Ann Anderson of Connecticut that really gives great advice on what to consider in your curb appeal presentation.  Thanks Ann Anderson.

5 Ways to Enhance Curb Appeal (You Might Not Know)

 We know the basics of curb appeal…moving, weeding, painting, and so on. But there are some things that are not quite so obvious, but that can make a big difference. And they are (not necessarily in order of importance):

1.  Keep your driveway empty – no parked cars. Cars in the driveway detract from the exterior of the house and give a little too much information to potential buyers. If your car is dirty or has a few dings, potential buyers may take that as a reflection of the way you take care of your home. Or they may think you are having financial problems.
2. Keep your garage door closed. This makes the exterior look much neater. Just make certain the door is in great shape. (This may be a place to spend a little money if it is out-dated or needs painting or repair, particularly if it faces the street.)
3. Make the walkway to the front door clearly delineated – and make certain this is the way the potential buyers enter. A clearly defined walkway feels inviting, and walking to the front door shows of the house much better than entering through the garage or side door into the kitchen. Make certain there is plenty of room to walk. If plants encroach on the walkway, cut them back.
4. Keep your garbage cans and recycling bins hidden. Sure, everyone knows you have garbage. But they don’t want to be reminded of it when they pull up in front of your house. The best location is the side of the house, as long as it isn’t visible from the street. A small fenced enclosure works well, but even screening them with bushes can work. Keeping them in the garage isn’t always a good idea because of the smell.
5. Make the house interesting from the street. That might mean adding color (such as a bold red door – as long as it goes with the house), some new landscaping (plantings of different types and sizes or perhaps re-shaping flower beds), or even shutters. Even if the house appears well kept, if it is uninteresting, potential buyers may keep driving.

 We have all heard you only get one chance to make a good first impression. And that is certainly true with houses on the market. If you don’t grab the potential buyers’ interest as soon as they pull up to the curb, you may never get it back – if they even bother to come in at all.

Ann Anderson is the owner of Rooms Reborn ( http://www.roomsreborn.com ), a decorating, staging, and redesign business serving Connecticut. She is also the founder and Director of the School of Interior Redesign ( http://www.schoolofinteriorredesign.com ). a private occupational school teaching staging, decorating, redesign, feng shui, and working with relocating seniors. She is also the co-creator of the Ready2Sellin30Days system which is designed to help do-it-yourself home sellers prepare their homes for sale with less stress.