Let’s face it – great curb appeal helps sell your home! The exterior of your home (including the landscaping and condition of your home’s exterior) is what homebuyers will see when they drive by your home. If your home does not have great curb appeal, many buyers will just keep on driving and never try to see the inside of your home.
When your Charlotte home is on the market, you want it to stand out from the competition, and establishing curb appeal is one way to make that happen! Don’t miss the opportunity to make an unforgettable first impression by following these tips to achieve great curb appeal:
Great Curb Appeal – My Best Tips for Home Sellers
- Take a look at your home from the street. Better yet, take a picture. Is your yard clean and inviting? Are you sending a message to potential homebuyers that you take great pride in your home? If not, it’s time to work on your curb appeal!
- Mow and edge your yard often! DUH! Don’t let leaves, debris or weeds take over your yard.
- Add color! Find some pretty plant containers and add seasonal flowers and plants. Place these around your front door/porch/steps. Colorful flowers work well in the Charlotte spring, summer and fall. Many stagers say Yellow flowers attract attention and draw buyers’ eyes to your property! In cooler weather, consider using colorful vegetables and herbs like kale, mustard and Chinese cabbage.
- Refresh your front door! While the Realtor showing your home is unlocking the door, homebuyers are looking intently at your front. Make sure that what they see is clean and fresh! Paint your front door and trim. Polish your hardware or buy new hardware so it sparkles.
- Add a nice NEW welcome mat! Time to throw away that worn out, faded looking one.
- Light it up! Make sure your front door and porch or portico are well lit. Consider adding inexpensive solar landscape lights along your front walkway or driveway.
- Give it a bath! You would wash and polish your car before you sold it, right? Why not do the same for your most expensive asset? Power wash the exterior and get rid of dirt, mildew and bugs and spider webs.
- Wash your windows! It is AMAZING how much better your home will look with sparkling clean windows! Remove, clean and store your screens during the listing process. Screens can dim light and take away from the sparkle factor.
- Give it a haircut! Trim your bushes, hedges and trees, and remove any trees that block windows or have grown up against your house. A good bush trimming will definitely boost your curb appeal. It will also make your house look bigger!
- Weed and mulch! Clear all landscaping beds of weeds and add fresh mulch or pine needles. And don’t add that fake red stuff or rocks. Those are big turnoffs to many homebuyers! Plant colorful flowers in your beds – they really brighten the mood!
- Walk the walk! Make sure your walkway and driveway are clean and free of debris. Consider power washing them if there’s dirt or algae buildup. Remove leaves and debris.
- Love your grass! Feed and seed your grass, and replace any dead patches.
- Say NO to wood rot! If homebuyers see wood rot on the exterior of your home, red flags will go up. Common areas for wood rot are around windows, doors, soffits and garage doors. Wood rot WILL be discovered by a home inspector, so it’s better to repair it now than when you’re under contract and the buyers are watching!
- Roof looking a little weepy? Some roofs develop unsightly stains. Consider having a professional to clean your roof. If it is time for a replacement, a new roof will help sell your home.
- What’s your address? Freshen up or replace your house numbers so your house can be found!
- Check your driveway! Remove any gross grease stains, remove weeds, and fill cracks with appropriate, color-matching caulk.
- Garage doors need love, too! Clean and refresh your garage door, especially if it faces the road. Give it a fresh coat of paint if needed.
- Showcase the lights! Polish, paint or replace old, faded light fixtures and light poles
- Yucky outdoor furniture? Replace or paint it! Consider buying colorful, vibrant seat cushions.
- Your deck may need a facelift! Clean and re-stain your deck if needed.
- Don’t forget your backyard! Even though backyards can’t be seen “from the curb,” it’s still important to make sure your yard is mowed, beds are weeded, toys are put away, and new mulch is laid down. Finally, make sure your deck or porch is clean and inviting, with attractive furniture and fresh flowers.
Great Curb Appeal – You CAN Do It!
I know my list seems extensive, but achieving great curb appeal is WORTH the effort. Most everything on this list can be achieved relatively cheaply – it’s just going to require some time and elbow grease. Many hardware stores rent out power washers, so rent one for the day and give your home, driveway and walkways a bath!
First impressions are so important to the sale of your home. Great curb appeal makes buyers think “Wow, they take very good care of their house – I can’t wait to see the INSIDE!”
Think of great curb appeal like the attractive way businesses display their products for sale. You want your house to stand out and say “BUY ME!”
South Charlotte Real Estate Expert
I’ve been listing and selling homes for sale in Charlotte for a long time, and I’ve seen first hand the power of great curb appeal. If you are thinking about listing your home for sale, I would love to come to your house and provide some pointers for achieving great curb appeal! I would also be happy to share staging advice that will make your home’s interior appeal to the broadest pool of potential buyers. After sharing my comprehensive marketing plan, we can discuss strategies for pricing your home so that you have better odds of selling your home.
Call me today at 704-654-9700 or fill out the contact form on this page to get started. I’m excited to share the fresh, new marketing ideas of Savvy + Co. Real Estate and the statistics that prove our marketing WORKS! Let’s talk soon!
For other Charlotte home seller tips, check my other blog posts:
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