Underestimating good landscaping and something as simple as yard work are red flags when it comes to selling a house. If you are a homeowner planning to sell their home, ask yourself, “how important is curb appeal when selling a house?”
All real estate agents and fellow homeowners will say that curb appeal is significant when selling any property. Here are some things you should know about the power of curb appeal.
Curb Appeal Matters Online and Offline
Since real estate is going digital in many parts of the world, selling a home online highly depends on how you market your home. This means keeping the curb appeal a priority when taking pictures for potential buyers to look through.
It’s the first thing anyone stepping into any property will see and is sequentially the first one that buyers will browse through as they make their way inside the house. Best to maximize your online profile by taking pictures of your front yard or driveway during the daytime after you’ve mowed the lawn and trimmed your greenery. Not only will there be better lighting for the images, but it’ll also highlight some accents in the exterior parts of your home.
It Boosts Your House’s Value
According to Fortune Builders, homes with proper landscaping sell for 7% more than others who leave exteriors as the least priority when showing and selling a house. If you’re already in the process of improving the curb appeal of your property, take the time to research and find someone who can keep your lawn in tiptop shape. You can hire a professional landscaper or schedule a DIY session weeks before your scheduled showing.
Exteriors Reflect the Home Owner’s Maintenance Practices
A lot can be concluded by strangers when looking at an unkempt lawn or front yard. Much so if they’re strangers looking to buy a house and you’re the seller. When planning a showing or an open house, ensure you’re putting your best foot forward right from the outside of your home. It would be time to apply your microscopic vision and look at the nooks and crannies of your house’s external appearance.
This would require checking the uneven length of the grass, the patchiness, and the tall bushes that start to hide the angle you want your house to be showcased. Take a look at the paint, see any chipped edges or fading spots? If so, time to give it a fresh coat of paint. Leaving these out of your maintenance checklist will be a potential error that buyers will spot if not attended before any open house.
It Can Help Your House Stand Out
Say your house is located in a neighborhood with many other properties for sale. That in itself is already an initial challenge to face with more competition nearby. Thus the need to up your game and make your home stand out.
If your location is in an up-and-coming neighborhood, the need to step it up means maximizing every corner of your property to make a solid first impression on buyers and even passers-by. Colorful landscaping, freshly painted exterior, and blooming flora and greenery can add life to your home, mainly if you’re located on the duller side of town.
How Else Can I Improve My Curb Appeal?
Curb appeal is all about maximizing the minor adjustments outside of the house. Here are a few ways to place your home a notch higher than the expensive properties in your area.
Mind the Roof
The roof of your house may be high up and easy to ignore, but some prospective buyers are meticulous about real estate. This means even your rooftop should be clean and have character people will spot at first glance. If you have leaves falling off your gutters, it wouldn’t be the best first impression when introducing a home’s exterior during an open house.
Say your house has an old roof and most likely has a few years left, best to get it replaced for a positive return on your money. It’s no secret that buyers are not keen on paying for a new roof for a new house they’re investing in, thus, a low-ball offer that might not meet your initial quotation. Play it smart and repair that roof before you lose an excellent initial offer.
Landscaping Is A Must
As established, landscaping your front or backyard is necessary to create a good curb appeal for potential buyers. It’s the go-to answer to your question, “how important is curb appeal when selling a house?” The first thing people will walk on is the grass in your yard; if they’re patchy or burned and show more dirt than grass, best to reach out to a professional landscaper to keep your yard in pristine condition before a big showing.
If you want to DIY a landscape fix, ensure you do it weeks before a showing since you would need to plant, seeding, and water the yard consistently. If you’re in a hurry and need to show the house before a big move to another city or country entirely, maybe going for sod or artificial grass is a temporary solution to boost your curb appeal. As for overgrown and dying bushes, a good trim or completely removing them would be enough to update the look of your yard.
Last but not least, drive down your street and take a good look at the first thing you notice when pulling up; those will be spotted by potential buyers, so best to alter a couple of external issues as early as possible.
No Front Door Fuss
A guest is received in the foyer of a home, which begins right at your front door. Ask yourself, what’s one thing that always bothers you when you step into your front door? If you answer with a bit of scratch or the wonky doorknob, then it should be replaced right away.
Scratches on doors, especially if you have pets in your home, can be covered with a fresh coat of paint. However, if they’re wooden doors that need a revamp, do the research and get a new entry for an updated and polished look. Not to mention, it will come with an impressive return of investment later on if your buyers are pleased right on the doorstep.
Conclusion
A good curb appeal counts; don’t get lost in the repair and remodel of the interiors. It’s essential to paint a whole picture from the outside to the inside of your house. This is a typical approach a broker and real estate agent will highlight when preparing your home for a showing. Keep the grass, roof, and front doors in tiptop shape to ensure you’re welcoming your buyer.
Ensure you’re painting them a picture of a new home where they can see themselves, free of the stress of renovations. Taking care of the minor exterior issues gives buyers less opportunity to make a fuss right then and there. Make a sale the intelligent way, because yes, curb appeal does matter when selling your house.
If you can’t be bothered with all the work to beautify the outside of your house, SEEB Homes is here for you. We buy houses for cash at a fair price, so contact us today!