Have you ever met somebody who made a horrible first impression that turned you off from them, only to find out later that he or she is a great person. The same holds true for your house. People may never know how great a property is if they are turned off by their first impression.
When it comes to looking at a property a few things make an immediate impression:
If people don’t like the outside of your home they may never want to see the inside. Here are a couple of tips to help this:
Landscape :
- Keep your front yard cut. In the summer time this may mean cutting it once every 7 to 10 days versus every two weeks.
- Make sure you keep up with your watering so your lawn stays green. In this case “What brown can do for you” is turn people off.
- Keep trees and shrubs trimmed. Your house isn’t a grunge band.
- Add mulch to flower beds. A small investment can make a huge difference.
- Edge stones or other border materials can give your house that extra dressed up appeal for very little cost.
An unkempt yard has been shown to reduce the value of a listing by several thousand dollars. This is a simple an effective way to get people to stop by and want to see your house.
Exterior appearance:
- Paint your trim – A fresh coat of paint on your facia board and trim around the garage door can make a huge difference.
- Paint your front door – Don’t be shy and pick a bold color (with taste). Something that stands out, yet flows with the house. I remember this article I read in the San Antonio paper that said the front door can change the value perception of a buyer by several thousands of dolloars, as much as $10,000 in some cases. Your door is the entry to your home and help set the buyers mood. They will be standing around the door for awhile waiting to get in.
- Pressure wash your house – A quick pressure wash of your brick, stucco, driveway, sidewalks, etc. will give your house fresh clean look.
- Windows – wash your windows and fix any damaged screens.
First impressions are huge when selling anything, espicially your home. Work on these items and you’ll have an advantage over the competition.
Please call with any questions or for referrals to landscapers or handymen.
Joseph Cortez
Joseph Cortez 