Selling a home has always been about love at first sight: many buyers accept or reject a house based on their first impression. Today, when 70% of all buyers get their first look at your home from a picture on the Internet, curb appeal is even more critical. Everyone wants their house to look its best, so we’ve compiled this list of fix-ups that will make yours the most enticing home on the block:
1. Be objective. Your impression of your home is based on years of fond memories, so don't make renovation decisions without taking a more objective look. Take some photos of the entire property both at night and during the day. Look at those pictures like a potential buyer would, and keep a critical perspective. Think of the best exterior features and how they might be improved. Then look at the worst features and plan on how to eliminate them.
2. Get rid of the mess and clutter. You may think of your property as "lived in," but a prospective buyer may consider it messy and cluttered. If there are bicycles in the front yard and lawn equipment around the side, find a new place for them. It may be time to rent a storage bay for those seasonal items, like barbeques and kiddie-pools. Help your prospective buyers imagine living in your home by removing excess clutter.
3. Clean up. Over time, every house develops stains and other signs of wear and tear. Examine your walls, driveway, siding and roof. One good idea is to pressure clean everything. If you’re not a do-it-yourselfer, pressure cleaning companies can do the whole job for a relatively inexpensive fee.
4. Paint the house. This may be the single-most important curb appeal project you can do. A new, modern color with complementary trim will make a striking difference in how your home is viewed. If you're considering just touching up faded areas with paint leftover from an earlier paint job, be prepared to see a difference in sheen or color due to the weathering of the old paint.
5. Get a new door. Your front door is to your house like your smile is to your face: it grabs the attention of everyone it encounters, and is at the heart of a good first impression. You can save money by repainting your old door, and then adding a new handle, lock and kickplate, but consider the competitive nature of today's housing market and the boost that a new cherry wood or cut glass door would give to your home.
6. Accessorize. For a small investment, you can add a snappy touch with brass knockers, mailboxes, house numbers, doorbell buttons and lanterns. Because these additions can quickly lose their shine, choose tarnish-free pieces.
7. Spruce up the driveway. If you're selling your house, it's definitely time to
repave the driveway. Consider changing from a traditional asphalt or gravel surface to pigmented, acid-stained or stamped concrete. You might also want to take the same look and extend it to your walkway. Combined with your new front door, this will bring a new elegance to your home's exterior.
Your move to a new home will require new home insurance, but you're not required to pay the highest price possible. By using NetQuote you will receive multiple home insurance quotes, allowing you to choose the one that most fits your needs, and your price range.
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