By James Link: Homes with high curb appeal command higher prices and take less time to sell. Whether a house sells or not is especially contingent upon the location of the home and the region of the country where the house is being sold. In a real estate market with high levels of variability in terms of sales and price, improved curb appeal and cosmetic touches could make the difference in whether or not a house sells or stays on the market for a long period of time. Houses with strong curb appeal do tend to sell a lot faster than those with cosmetic blemishes, and therefore knowing how to stage a home to sell can be critical. Here’s a list of 10 curb appeal items that could make the difference in whether a house sells or stays on the market for too long.
The paint color of your house can have a big influence on if your house sells fast or if it just sits on the market. Before you paint your house, take a drive around your neighborhood and note the color of some of your neighbor’s homes and see what is used the most. Consider whether you live in a PUD or if there are other rules that pertain to the color of your home. Colors that are true bright or out of context, should be avoided. In most neighborhoods in Southern California, homes are primarily beige or tan in color. Stay away from any colors that are not what are normally seen. Finally, consideration should be given to the quality of the paint job. Slapping a bunch of paint on haphazardly should be avoided at all costs.
Before you put your house on the market, have a local building inspector come and look at the roof. If it needs to be updated; do it now. The roof is the first thing that buyers will look at and you want your house to show that it was taken care of. Roof repair is not only a matter of cosmetics. Roofs play a vital role in keeping your home dry and weather-proof. Consider this carefully. Roof maintenance and upgrades, while expensive, should be addressed before it is time to sell.
Shutters are easy to find and install. If they are the right color and style, shutters could really help a house sell. They are also available in nice composites that don’t weather unforgivingly like wood. These type of shutters can be painted if the buyer chooses or left white and won’t rot. Again, shutters tend to be regionally influenced, and sellers should become familiar with the most favorable style in their neighborhood.
Another tip for people selling their house is that they should think about improving their homes’ appearance through the addition of flowers and shrubs. Depending on the style of the home, you might consider window boxes or built-in flower pots. There are now a lot of updated options in terms of window boxes or garden pots that show off vegetation. If your home is the right style, such as stone or composite would be the way to go since these do not rot. You can also buy some now that are self-watering if you happen to have the box on a high place or behind some bushes. Be sure to consult with a landscape architect to become familiar with the optimum vegetation for your home. While some plants are pretty, others should be avoided, because they might be harmful to children or pets.
If the concrete on your property is at the point where it is starting to crack, you should consider staining the concrete. Concrete can also be an affordable and modern looking indoor floor application. Easy for most homeowners to install and maintain, the do-it-yourself-fixer should purchase concrete stain from a home improvement store and lightly apply selected colors to different areas and see what one looks the best. Homeowners should also buy the right kind for application, since some can be used inside or outside, and you want to be sure that the kind you buy will last the longest. You will also need to re-treat every so often since it will eventually wash away.
Old air conditioners that are displayed roughly, or living in a home with junk or other debris lying around can really devalue a home. In many areas it is a violation of the HOA to have an air conditioning unit that is visible. The best way to hide the unit is to plant some larger bushes around the unit or debris that will look nice when they bloom. This might be nicer than a fence that will cause restricted movement. Moreover, in this case paint should be avoided, because paint displayed haphazardly will disrupt appearance rather than improve appearance.
Your mailbox is something that is seen every day and by everyone, so it is important that you address your mailbox if is not looking as good as it should be. You could also rebuild it and repaint it altogether if it is in really bad shape. Make sure that the update matches the overall appearance of the home in style and overall look and feel.
This can give a garden or walkway a good look when it is all done. There a lot of stones or bricks that can be used to create a more natural look for the purpose that you are using, and some can be picked up from a job site or river bed if you have access. Blue stone is what a lot of people are starting to get now because, it is readily available and it can also be used to access garden walls and walk ways. Again, be sure to consider your region and neighborhood as factors for this type of upgrade.
Water features or reasonably sized fountains are always a cool consideration for a yard. Depending on the size of your home and yard, water features can add value and can be a beautiful addition. One primary consideration for this lawn item, especially in California, is to use recycled water. In parts of their country where there is a water shortage, homeowners should consider conservation as well as appearance.
There are many options in terms of outdoor furniture that are cost effective and attractive. For example if you have a cabin with a tree in your yard that is big enough, you might consider building a bench around it. This choice again depends on the look and feel of the home and property. Using natural furniture could work for a yard where the home has a rustic appearance. However, regional style plays a factor in the type of outdoor furniture that should be purchased. The biggest thing to remember when making any of these choices is that the way your house looks from the street — attractively landscaped and updated — can add thousands to the value and cut the time it takes to sell. However, poorly implemented choices can have the opposite effect. Remember to consult an expert before making the wrong choice. SetSchedule has changed the way real estate marketing is viewed, by changing the way REALTORS® access clients and listing appointments. SetSchedule is a “first of its’ kind” exclusive membership based model that provides verified appointments, marketing tools, and elite invite only networking events for its members. By blending new technologies, and thought processes with proven success methods SetSchedule had incurred record producing results unseen in the industry.
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