When selling a house one of the most important things is to make it look nice. This is usually referred to as: curb appeal. A prospective buyer looks at the house thinking of what he gets for his money and considers the cost of getting a run-down looking house into shape. Every good realtor will therefor discuss the “looks” of a home with the seller and will give advice as how to upgrade the impression.
Not only the outside counts, a prospective buyer will judge by the overall impression of the home. There was a time when the smell of home-baked bread wasn’t just there because you wanted to make the house smell better for a potential home buyer but nowadays we use those simple tricks like scented candles and air fresheners and even choose the ones fitting the season (thanks for apple-cinnamon and gingerbread candles). It is always nice to turn on the lights inside the house, turn on soft music and have everything tidied up and neat and pretty before a showing. Remember, you want a prospective buyer to get the best possible impression of the house and you want them to say: “yes, this is my future house, my stuff will look just beautiful in this setting”.
Love at first sight is a very romantic thing but also a very important fact in the business of selling houses. You want to make sure that the house looks impeccable from the outside. A prospective buyer driving up will look at the overall appearance, the curb appeal with a very critical eye. The little patches of mold or the faded color you don’t even notice anymore will definitely give them the impression that the house is not very good cared for. An overgrown yard and weeds all over give the very same impression and will turn buyers away. We advise our clients to rather invest in a little color than to disappoint buyers and loose on the price in the long-run. Make sure the house and driveway get a pressure wash and some touch-up as needed, put some mulch out and clean the yard – a clean looking house will attract buyers while a house that looks like it requires a lot of work will scare them off.
Always think of what you would like to see in your future home: cleanliness, good smells and good looks – in general: good curb appeal. The better the curb appeal the more interested possible buyers will think of making this home theirs and this is what ensures the seller to get the best price for their home.
Happy selling,
Sanford Realty Team, Florida
