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Enhance your home's 'drive up' appeal. It's never a bad time to
think about ways to improve your home's image on the outside. But if
you're planning on placing your house on the market any time soon,
you simply can't afford not to brush up its exterior.
In the rush to fill out paperwork, search for a new home, obtain
necessary financing, etc., too many homeowners fail to consider how
the outside of a house determines in a matter of seconds whether
prospective homebuyers out for a drive are going to stop the car and
pull out a flyer or call their REALTOR® and tell them they've found
a home they want to view.
You should certainly conduct your own personal inspection and
inventory of your home's exterior before you place it on the market,
but the effectiveness of this exercise is questionable. You're too
close to the subject at hand, for one thing. And, whether
consciously or unconsciously, you're avoiding any flaws for which
you'd have to cough up a lot of cash to repair. The reality is that
some of those flaws probably aren't going to pass muster with a
buyer's home inspector, so it may be simply a question of whether
you pay now or later to repair them. So don't rely on your own
assessment to determine just what needs fixing and improvement. Have
your Realtor size up the outside of your home. This is no time for
your Realtor to be nice; ask him or her to be brutally honest. Your
Realtor's assessment and your willingness to complete those
recommended enhancements and repairs will ultimately determine how
long your home sits on the market -- a matter of days, or it could
languish for months.
The following points outline just some of the areas your Realtor is
likely to touch upon during an informal inspection of your home's
exterior:
Paint: Chipping or peeling paint is a definite detractor from your
home's appearance. Even an inexpensive paint job will enhance your
home's appearance significantly. This includes the front door,
fence, shutters and any other surfaces in full view.
Landscaping: Mow and edge your lawn, and do it frequently while your
home is on the market. You'd be amazed at how a little overgrown
grass will cause some drive-by homebuyers to keep going. If you have
shrubs and bushes out front, make sure they remained clipped and
neat in appearance. Remove old pots of wilted flowers, and keep the
front porch as clear of excess clutter as possible. Keep your flower
beds well-watered, and remove any overgrowth. Roll up your garden
hose, and place it out of sight along with your garden tools.
Sidewalks/driveway: Sorry, kids, but this isn't the time to decorate
the sidewalks and driveway with colorful chalk designs. Nor is it a
good time to leave toys scattered about. Pull stray weeds, and keep
the lawn edged along these areas. If you've been in the process of
restoring a historic car, and it's normally placed on stilts in your
driveway, move it into the garage.
Gutters/downspouts: If they're damaged or loose, repair them.
Sagging fences/loose bricks/damaged siding: Call a professional. A
fence that looks as if the next strong breeze will cause a collapse
is a serious detractor from the perceived value of your home. And
loose bricks or damaged siding, often a side effect of excessive hot
and cold weather conditions, must be repaired.
Cracked/uneven foundation: If evidence of damage to your home's
foundation is present, your Realtor will tell you to have it
professionally repaired, anyway, so brace yourself. What buyer would
move into a property knowing he was immediately going to be hit with
the cost of foundation repair?
Upgrade your outdoor lighting. Making sure you've got warm lighting
around your home's exterior will create an inviting appearance for
any prospective homebuyer. If you've ever noticed how even modest
homes can suddenly appear cozy with the proper lighting, take that
lesson to heart with your own home. Keep your porch light on in the
evenings, just in case a prospective buyer happens to be driving
through your neighborhood (those lights also draw attention to your
'For Sale' sign).
Finishing touches: Purchase a brand-new doormat, place it in front
of the entrance to your home, and add a pot of brightly colored
flowers next to the front door. You're saying 'Welcome. Come on in.'
While these enhancements and repairs may seem like a hassle now,
you'll thank yourself when your home spends much less time on the
market than it would have without such improvements -- that is,
assuming that your home could sell at all in those conditions. A
home is like anything else in our society. You never get a second
chance to make a first impression, so make it the best one possible.
Copyright 2003
PropertySource Network |
