When putting your home on the market, your real estate agent will likely discuss options with you for creating better curb appeal. Before you can begin this process, however, it is helpful to have a better understanding of what curb appeal is and why it is important.
What is Curb Appeal?
Simply put, curb appeal is a term used to describe the first impression that a potential buyer gets of the home while driving by. If a home has curb appeal, it will attract a potential buyer and make him or her interested in seeing more of the home. Therefore, by creating curb appeal, you help to attract more potential buyers to your home.
What are the Benefits of Curb Appeal?
In addition to attracting potential buyers, creating curb appeal can also potentially increase the value of your home while also helping you to get it sold more quickly. After all, if the curb appeal is drawing in more potential buyers, you have a greater likelihood of finding someone who will make an offer on the home. Curb appeal can also help you sell the home more quickly by making a positive first impression on potential buyers that will keep them coming back to your home in their minds when it comes time to make a purchasing decision.
As an added bonus, creating curb appeal can also potentially help you get more for your home. A well-manicured lawn, attractive landscaping and fresh paint will all go a long way toward making your home feel move-in ready to potential buyers. These small touches will also make the home appear more valuable to potential buyers, thereby encouraging them to make a higher offer on the home.
How Do You Create Curb Appeal?
To create curb appeal, you need to be diligent about keeping your grass cut, pulling weeds and removing clutter from your yard. You should also replace or repair any outside items that may be broken, such as a broken railing on the porch or a broken outdoor light fixture. A fresh layer of paint on the porch and the front door can also go a long way toward creating curb appeal. Adding a fresh layer of mulch to your flowerbed will also help to spruce things up. If you do not have a flower bed, consider adding a couple of pots or hanging baskets of flowers outside of your front door in order to add more color to your outside space. As an added bonus, once you close on the house, you can take these flowers to your new house to create that feeling of “home” at your new place.
As you work toward creating curb appeal, you should also look for ways to create a feeling of safety with your home. You can do this by eliminating shadow-casting shrubbery and poorly lit walkways. Your doors and windows should all be in good shape. You can also create a feeling of safety while highlighting special architectural elements by adding a spotlight outside. Simply put, anything you can do to draw attention to your home and its best features will go a long way toward helping you to get your home sold.
