They say that you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression. It seems crazy that little things, like appealing colors and a tidy yard, can make such a difference to a big financial decision as buying a house, but the fact is that they do. People don’t often buy a house without feeling a gut attraction to it, even if an unattractive exterior often means a better bargain. Fixer-uppers look for potential rather than beauty, but most buyers want to like what they see.
So what can you do quickly to improve your property’s ‘curb appeal’ if you want to put it on the market?
A Lick of Paint
Unless you painted the property’s exterior in the last year or two, a paint job is worth doing to improve its salability. Tired-looking, dirty paint is really off-putting. One might think that the buyer would prefer to choose their own colors, but it doesn’t work like that, although you do need to choose colors with wide appeal. Classic colors are usually best, with a contrasting shade to highlight detail and woodwork. A grey blue with white trim, or a warm creamy white with dark green woodwork are good examples of classic combinations with curb appeal.
Do the Little Jobs
It costs practically nothing to get a new mailbox and replace the numbering on your front door. But oddly enough, it can make a lot of difference to how your buyer will feel as he or she is walking up your garden path for the first time. You’ve probably stopped noticing some of the shabby and worn out items in your yard. Try to look at the house with fresh eyes, and make a list of things, like old porch rails, that look shabby. Once you’ve written it down you’re less likely to forget it again. Then make a list of the materials and tools you’ll need and get cracking.
Bright Flower Beds and Window Boxes
You can create an instant garden by placing container plants in your porch and around your deck and pathway. Fill window boxes with bright flowers. If you haven’t got mature shrubs and bushes, you can still give your front yard some structure and character by using fencing, pergolas, benches and ornamental stones.
Painted Porch Furniture
It’s all about your viewers imagining themselves living in the house. So if you haven’t got porch furniture, get some, or drag that old Mississauga chair out from the garage, clean it up and paint it. That’s the finishing touch that encourages viewers to see themselves relaxing on a summer’s afternoon after work, drink in hand.
It could clinch the deal.
