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By: Robert Lipply
What if your real estate agent could give you a fool-proof
way to sell your home quickly and get top dollar for it too?
Well, nothing is more important in attracting potential buyers
to your home than curb appeal. What is curb appeal? Well simply
put, it’s that quality that makes a person driving by
your house stop and say “Wow!” First impressions
do count! If people don’t like the outside they won’t
go inside.
The view from the street and the picture posted on the internet
are the first impressions people will have of your home. There
may be many homes for sale in your neighborhood or town and
you want people to see yours first.
So here are some tips for you to maximize your curb appeal:
• Do some homework. Take a walk or drive around your
neighborhood. Bring a notebook and or a digital camera. Look
at the houses. What catches your eye? Which homes stand out?
Write down what you like or snap a picture. Then go home and
take a long, hard look at your own house. Try to see it with
new eyes. Snap a picture and compare it with the others. Make
a list of things you would need to do to get your home to
the level of the best homes. Set aside some time and a budget
for sprucing up your home’s exterior. Either do it yourself
or hire some professionals. It will be money well spent.
• Fix or replace whatever’s broken, outdated
or ugly. If you hate something, chances are so will someone
else. Do you need to paint? Sometimes all you need is a fresh,
new color on the front door or shutters to really make your
house stand out. Do you need to rent a power washer? Do you
need a new roof or new door? How old is the landscaping? If
it’s more than 15 yrs old, it‘s probably overgrown.
Boring, overgrown and neglected landscapes do nothing for
curb appeal.
• Have a major family clean up day. You want your house
to sparkle! Wash the windows, polish the doorknobs, sweep
the porch, clear the gutters, clean the driveway, mow the
lawn, pull the weeds, pick up fallen branches and leaves,
trim the shrubs, deadhead the flowers, mulch the beds, edge
the flower beds, edge the lawn.
• Now for the fun part, add some decorative touches.
The easiest way to decorate the front of your house is with
annual flowers. Make sure you have healthy looking flowers
around your property. Pick a color scheme that goes with your
property. You can borrow ideas from your neighbors, a magazine,
or your local nursery or home center. Figure out if you have
mostly sun or shade and choose the right flowers for your
site. You can plant some in the ground and others in containers.
Put some pots on your steps and porch or some large planters
by the front door. Plant a window box. Containers are easy
to change with the seasons. Just remember to water and fertilize.
Other things you can do are to add shutters, porch chair cushions,
seasonal decorations, attractive house numbers, a new mailbox,
a bird bath, a beautiful wreath, or anything that will make
your home look inviting and attractive.
• Don’t forget lighting. Many people can’t
check out houses till after dark. Make sure your house stands
out at night. Choose an attractive porch light and keep it
on. Keep the interior lights on as well. You want your home
to be warm and inviting. Try landscape lights, but even better,
a spotlight or two aimed at your beautiful landscape or the
lovely front door.
Good luck and have fun improving your home's curb appeal.
If you follow the important tips above, your home will be
a hit with the potential buyers. Most importantly, your home
will sell quickly and at the highest market value.
About the author:
Bob Lipply is a top Real Estate Broker Associate in the Tampa
Bay Florida area. He and his team have been helping families
relocate to Florida for many years with great success. Visit
his website at http://www.lipplyrealestate.comfor many other
valuable relocation tips.
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