Curb Appeal

Do people want to see more? Is their interest aroused? Is the front of your home eye catching? If not, you do not have curb appeal. In less than a minute buyers will decide if your home is what they are looking for. The home of their dreams.

The next time you come home, stop across the street or far enough down the driveway to get a good view of the house and its surroundings. If no curb appeal, potential buyers will not even get out of their cars or tour your home - they just move on to the next home.

• What is your first impression of the house and yard area?
• What are the best exterior features of the house or lot? How can you enhance them?
• What are the worst exterior features of the house or lot? How can you minimize or improve them?
• Park where a potential buyer would and walk towards the house, looking around you as if it were your first visit.
• No old cars or trucks parked in the drive or at the side of the home. Park or store them off the property, perhaps at a storage yard or a friends.

A Few Curb Appeal Tips

• If you can budget it, a fresh paint job does wonders for a dingy house. Drive around your town to find color schemes that are appealing.
• Install a more attractive front door, maybe something with leaded glass inserts.
• If you can't justify the cost of a new door, consider replacing plain doorknob hardware with something more attractive.
• If new hardware is beyond your budget, repaint or stain the door and polish the hardware?
• If you brainstorm, you'll find that there's a solution to most problems-one that lets you stay within your budget.