Curb appeal is real estate slang for the outward appearance of a piece of real estate. The term
appeals to the aesthetic, or visual, attractiveness of a property as viewed by a prospective
buyer. Improving curb appeal can positively influence your home’s value and marketability, all
with a good return on the cost. And, ultimately, it can lead to more money in your pocket when
you go to sell your home.
Numerous studies have sought to quantify the results of curb appeal. Academic papers would
seem to indicate that homes with better curb appeal will sell for higher amounts. In addition, the
idea that a home that appears better-kept than its peers and therefore sells for a higher price
would pass the common sense test. After all, are you going to purchase the heavily dented
vehicle or the one meticulously kept by it’s sole owner?
5 Tips to Sell Your Home With Improved Curb Appeal
The good news is that curb appeal is not really some mystical art that you need to study too
heavily. In fact, there are some simple steps that you can take to improve your home’s curb
appeal and generate a quicker sale when the home goes to market. If you’re ready to get
started on selling your home, check out these five steps you can take to better curb appeal:
- Give your home a bath. Relatively speaking, washing your home can cost little to no
money in comparison to other items. Washing your home will refresh surfaces and
almost immediately improve the curb appeal of your home. A little bit of hard work, soap
and water can go a long way.
Alternatively, you can rent a power washer or opt to employ the services of a local power
wash service to get the job done for you. Either way, make sure to clean off the caked-
on dust, pollen, and other results of the seasons and climate. You may be surprised as
to just how new a good wash will make your home look. Don’t forget porches, decks,
and driveways to further enhance the appeal of your home! - Add a fresh coat of paint. Painting the exterior of a home is not a very cheap
proposition. However, the sun, weather, and climate can all take a toll on the state of
your home. Use leftover paint if you have it. Otherwise, scrape a little bit of the existing
paint from your house and visit your local paint store to match the color. Touching up
chipped or otherwise damaged areas will improve the look of your home almost as much
as a new coat.
If you feel that you need to go a little further, look at painting trim or other details on the
home that may stand out. You likely don’t need to repaint the entire house, but simply
need to touch up some areas to really improve the curb appeal.
If you’re still not satisfied with the result, seek to paint the front door with a captivating
color. A new coat or two on the front door can really change the look of your home with
minimal effort. - Improve your landscape. You may opt for planting bushes and flowers to improve the
looks of your home. However, simply watering the grass and keeping it cut, perhaps a bit
more often, can make your home more appealing to potential buyers. Clear out pesky,
obvious weeds and prune shrubbery to give the home a polished appearance. Weeds
can grow quickly, so keep an eye on your flower beds and other areas for new uninvited
guests. - Clean or repair the roof. There are some new washes out there that can be applied to
a roof to help clean up mildew and other growth. Some of these are sprayed on with
nature able to do the rest of the work via rain and sun. Otherwise, if your roof is
damaged or looking particularly poorly maintained, opt to repair or replace the roof.
Albeit expensive, replacing the roof can be a tremendous ROI (return on investment)
boost. The roof is often one of the most obvious elements of a home, and a bad one can
stick out like a sore thumb. - Details, details, and more details. Other little items enhance the curb appeal of a
home. Consider replacing your mailbox, adding lighting, or even staging some new
outdoor furniture to make your house feel more like home. There are other ways to
remove any clutter and improve the look of your home for relatively little cost.
Sometimes, the little things really do add up. The good news is that these little things often don’t cost much and even require little time to improve.
If you have taken the above steps to work on your home’s curb appeal and are ready to commit
to selling your home in the greater Detroit, Michigan area, then connect with REALTEAM today.
Our real estate professionals have real experience with real results. We work with home sellers
and home buyers of all stripes to buy and sell the most important asset you will likely ever own –
your home. We can help you with experience in everything from curb appeal to contract
negotiations that will improve your results and deliver a happy ending.
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