Carl’s Blog, Curb Appeal

Curb Appeal to sell your house.

In Real estate the first shot any of us get to sell your house is to make the curb appeal (front yard and walk ways) look as sharp as possible. National Association for Realtors studies show that 63% of potential buyers use the pictures they see on the internet, usually the front door pictures, as their first impression to tour. In my experience, the first impression as I drive up to the house with my buyers is crucial to the next step. Getting inside……

So here are some tips about how to create that best look for as few dollars as possible.

1. Landscaping: Trim bushes back from walkways, make them look neat and green. Cut out all those old branches and dead wood. If needed, an open space with bark chips are preferred over dead branches.
2. Mow, Mow Mow…Making sure the lawn is green or at least short clipped and weeded.
3. Power wash the siding, trim and any concrete walks, foundations. Get rid of the dirt, slime and mold that western Oregon is so good at growing.
4. Smells are the second most important sense that buyers use to screen a house. Plants that smell good, fresh mowed grass are good. Old pet smells, chemicals and other bad smells do not belong!
5. The front door is crucial! As a realtor, I will spend a few moments getting the key and the potential buyer is usually standing at the door looking around. So clean, paint and put out some pots with colorful plants.
6. A house number well displayed, is important for the realtor and for a buyer driving by to find your place. Real Estate signs help, but a lot of confusion can be eliminated by doing this.
7. A good, clean door mat is helpful for buyer and owner. It says welcome to the buyer and it says wipe your feet for the owner.
8. Outdoor lighting (that looks good and works) adds to that front door feel.
9. It rains in Western Oregon, so if a gutter is clogged and if Niagara Falls is making a comeback near the front door, it can leave a bad impression!

The main thing is to decide what is best for you and stick to it until it sells. That appraiser will be influenced by the curb appeal as well.