Creating curb appeal is a good idea for homeowners selling their houses in today’s challenging real estate market. Homes need an extra edge to stand out and get a buyer’s attention, and improving your home’s curb appeal is one of the most cost-effective improvements a homeowner can make.
Real estate agents confirm that there is no bigger sales edge than a home with top-notch curb appeal. It’s the first impression a home makes, so the exterior and landscaping needs to attract attention and interest. Considering that some 74 percent of buyers today preview homes on the Internet (according to the National Association of Realtors), curb appeal is even more important than ever before.
Landscaping is one of the easiest ways for homeowners to quickly increase a home’s value with little cost. Even just planting colorful flowers in landscaping beds, grooming a lush lawn and adding greenery and potted plants creates a drastic transformation and higher perceived value. In one weekend, you can tackle the weeds and fertilize your lawn and flowerbeds to make beautiful enhancements that will last for months.
A recent RealEstate.com survey of 500 sellers and 100 real estate agents across the country found both groups agreed that creating curb appeal by enhancing a lawn or landscape was the top priority for getting a house ready to sell. Half of buying decisions are based on curb appeal, according to the National Association of Realtors, and it is at curbside where homeowners’ efforts need to start. To get the lawn and landscape flourishing, it’s important to use the appropriate products to control insects and disease, and keep the soil moist and the grass thick, dense and green. Here are a few curb appeal ideas to green up your home:
- In the summer, use a lawn fertilizer to maintain turf’s healthy green color. In the late fall, use winterizer to encourage root growth, create earlier spring greening and improve the lawn’s resistance to disease, weeds and pests the following year.
- Use a weed killer to remove unsightly weeds from driveways, sidewalks and flowerbeds.
- Use an insect killer to control insects that damage summer lawns.
- Create container gardens a doting mix and bright flowers to add color and style to the front porch. This will help the house stand out in the crowd.
Here are a few other simple and inexpensive ideas for homeowners on how to improve the curb appeal of their home when they’re trying to sell it:
- Give your home’s exterior a good scrub with a power washer to remove cobwebs and dirt. Clean the windows inside and out, and remove screens to show off the windows and let light flow into the home.
- Trim trees and shrubs that overhang the house and hide it from view.
- Store items such as hoses, garden tools, children’s toys and sports equipment in the garage to give the home a polished look.
With a few simple projects, you can have a beautiful lawn and distinctive curb appeal that will turn the sign in your front yard from FOR SALE to SOLD.
