Smooth out the bumps to enhance curb appeal

From the moment a potential buyer drives up to the front of your home, they’ve made a decision about whether or not they even want to come into your home.

The intelligent seller understands that plenty of work should be undertaken before putting a sign up on the front lawn especially in a buyer’s market where there is way too much choice.  You need to have a competitive advantage and it starts from the moment a potential buyer drives up to the front of your home.

So, where do you start?

Look at your home from a buyer’s POV

Stand across the street from your house and have a good look at it.  Pretend you are someone else looking at the property for the first time.  There was something about this house that, after all, caught your eye when you first purchased it.  What was it, and would those same aesthetics attract another buyer or have you let things slide a little bit?

Tackle the easy stuff

You might think that a potential buyer can look past things like paint that needs refreshing or bushes that need trimming or a few cracks in the sidewalk.  Funny enough, some people just can’t do it.  Even though they understand consciously that the shutters would look better if they were grey instead of green, subconsciously it’s like a scab that they can’t stop thinking about.  Go ahead and do those little things because first impressions just seem to stick with people. They are very hard to undo.

Clean it up

When the snow has gone and the grass is there is all its dirty brown glory, your yard simply doesn’t look its best.  There might be dead leaves left over from the fall, pine cones strewn about the yard knocked down during winter’s gale.  Have the neighbourhood dogs left presents on the lawn?  Clean up the yard to let people know that you care about your home.  It’s purely psychological but your home will feel welcoming.

Get estimates for the big stuff

While assessing the front of your house, you might notice that a messy poplar tree should really be taken out or the giant fir blocks that new front window you put in last year.  Are your eaves hanging down or does the entire house seriously need repainting.  Or worse, does your roof need reshingling?  If you just don’t have the funds to do these jobs, you can usually get some quotes on the work and make sure your Realtor® is aware that you’ve done this.  Having it all your maintenance issues recognized, categorized and on paper will help during the negotiations.  If you need to deduct work from the asking price, you at least have a leg to stand on as opposed to guessing at how much the work might be.

Professional photos and how you can help

Once you’ve done the physical work your home is also ready for the camera.  Enhance the curb appeal before your buyers even get to the front door.  You want your home to look good where ever buyers are looking.  When a photographer shows up to start snapping, make sure you’ve prepped as much as you can.  That means:

• Opening the blinds and curtains to frame the windows from the outside.  Make sure blinds or curtains look the same in every window.
• Remove vehicles and bicycles or other toys from the driveway.  In the back yard, if lawn furniture is out make sure it’s arranged nicely and weather permitting, add plants and cushions to show off how comfy your patio or deck area is. 
• Put away kiddie pools and once again, make sure evidence of your dog(s) is gone.