“Honey, stop the car!” is often heard en route to the next showing with home buyers. Homeowners want to know “how do you get the car to stop?” That’s easy, just have a picture perfect home and use the top 5 curb appeal items below to gain top dollar.
First, a clean and green, tidy yard, with neatly trimmed landscaping will give the best picture of what the home will look like for new buyers. Unless the house is hidden far behind a long drive or enormous trees, it always pays to hire the landscaping team of your choice to trim, prune, plant, mulch and cut back overgrown bushes, cut the grass and edge the sidewalks to ensure the house is clearly visible.
Next, consider taking a few hours over a weekend and a gallon of paint to help update your home’s façade. New or updated paint for siding, soffits, gutters, with a complimentary color of paint for the garage door, front door and/or window shutters to accent the house colors. Old, discolored or peeling paint is a big turnoff for buyers especially if they are seeking a move in ready home. Buyers are not impressed with adding “needs paint” to their preferred list of homes.
Third, for pops of color, purchase big, bright and cheery flowers to place in accent borders, planters or window boxes close by the entry door.
Fourth, a welcoming front door, with sparkling windows, a new door handle and matching locks is an essential. Many homeowners also add a festive seasonal wreath or similar décor to draw the eye upwards. Be sure the door swings open smoothly (and get rid of any squeaks).
Lastly, updating the hardware details can also make the home shine as a move in ready gem. A new mailbox, new exterior lights on the porch, or low wattage pathway lights can hint that if it looks this great outside, just wait until you see in the inside. Consider asking your Cowan Home Team agent for more tips on making your home irresistible!
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