Ask a Realtor
A local Realtor answers questions about how to enhance curb appeal when preparing to sell a home.
Texas Sage Properties[/caption]
Pat Navarette
Texas Sage Properties
What are people referring to when they mention curb appeal?
In respect to selling homes, curb appeal is what visually stimulates a buyer to either want to see more or move on. Sellers can benefit tremendously if they take the time and put the effort into improving the exterior of their house and yard to entice buyers to want to see more. There are, undoubtedly, many steps necessary in properly preparing a home to sell, but it all starts with “curb appeal.”
What are some landscaping tips that can add to a home’s curb appeal?
A few landscaping tips include adding a pop of color with seasonal plants in flower beds and container pots near the front entry, [adding] fresh mulch, mowing, weeding, trimming any overgrown shrubs, fertilizing dead patches of grass, trimming large tree branches that may block a view of the house from the street, clean[ing] out gutters [and] put[ting] away toys and trash cans. Also, sellers should make sure the address is clearly visible and clean so buyers don’t have to drive around trying to determine if they have the right house.
What do homeowners often overlook on a home’s exterior when preparing to sell?
Exterior home improvements should begin first with the seller taking a drive around the neighborhood and pulling up to the home from various angles. … A good idea is for sellers to pretend they are the buyers. Maybe you will notice that the gutters haven’t been cleaned in years, or paint is chipping or peeling, [or] mold and mildew stains cover the back side of the house [and] beat up trash cans are sitting out front. Many times, sellers are busy and overlook these details.
If a seller only has the time and/or money to focus on one area of the home, what exterior improvements may be most important?
The yard. [Adding] fresh mulch to flower beds, pulling weeds, mowing and watering the grass, fertilizing, [and] power washing sidewalks and the driveway to remove ugly stains are easy, cost-efficient things any seller can do.
What are some curb appeal tips for fall?
Add some seasonal fall plants to add a pop of color to flower beds, clean gutters, [and] add an inexpensive fall foliage wreath at [the] front door and a new floor mat that “welcomes” potential buyers. Go a step further and drape a fall-themed blanket across a rocker, and place a few bright orange pumpkins around the front porch. These steps set the stage for a welcoming and warm, cozy feeling before even walking into the home.
