Local Realtors answer questions about trends and offer tips to homebuyers and sellers considering buying or selling a home in or around Cy-Fair.

What can sellers do to make their outdoor spaces most attractive to buyers?

Curb appeal is key, and your front yard will be the first impression for prospective buyers. Put down a weed and feed product on your lawn a month before listing your home. Plant fresh flowers and mulch flower beds and trees. People need to see the house, so cut overgrown trees to remove lower branches that block views of the home from the street. Trim bushes so walkways are clear and windows are visible. Power wash [the] driveway and sidewalks, and clean the outside and inside of windows.

Are there any features that sellers can easily add outdoors to boost their home value?

Lighting is an easy addition to outdoor spaces that can have a positive impact on your home. Uplighting—lighting placed on the ground and directed up at trees or the front of your home—is popular and attractive. With a little more effort, creating an outdoor “living room” is a great way to increase the appeal of your home. This can be done with a pergola or by adding stamped [or] stained concrete. Finish the space off with some outdoor furniture.

What are things often found outdoors that detract from a home's value?

Negative curb appeal can include chipping paint, trim boards that are in need of repair or a roof that is reaching the end of its useful life and therefore may have undiscovered leaks. Cracks in brick near the outside of windows may indicate foundation problems.