Every real estate agent will tell a home seller, first impressions are crucial. And, the very first thing a prospective home buyer will notice is a home’s exterior. This is why agents often promote the benefits of curb appeal and sprucing up your landscape.
Simply put, curb appeal is the way a home appears from a roadside or sidewalk view. Moreover, the easiest method for assessing a home’s curb appeal is walking to your property’s edge and, with a critical eye, attempt to view it as a person who never saw it before. If you need help, ask a friend who you trust will be honest to give you feedback.
- Is the property easy to find or is it concealed?
- Does the home’s exterior have a welcoming appearance?
- Does the home stand out in a bad way?
1. Make House Numbers Attractive and Stand Out
Here is one trick to evaluating your home’s curb appeal. Image yourself as a parent who, for the first time, is dropping off their pre-teen daughter. You have the address and the GPS shows you are there, but the drive is dark and shrubs are covering the house numbers. Are you at the right place?
2. Replace Your Old Mailbox
Would a new mailperson be able to find your mailbox easily? Is it old, rusted, and with the door hinges broken? Does your mailbox match the design of your home? Updating and replacing an old mailbox is a quick and easy improvement.
3. Evaluate Your Front Pathway
Take a close look at the pathway from the sidewalk or driveway to your front entrance. What do you see? Is there cracked concrete? Are there missing pavers or bricks? Is it welcoming or is it overgrown with ivy, trees, or other plants? Is there no path at all, forcing visitors to walk across the grass?
While the above provides a good starting point, there are other tips as well, including sprucing up outdoor containers, proper use of mulch, shaping overgrown trees and shrubs, and much more. If you would like to talk about how to spruce up your landscape, please contact us.
Diane Holm
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