Easy ways to increase curb appeal

In today’s housing market, homeowners need to be more proactive than ever when it comes to selling their homes.

To make their homes more attractive to prospective buyers, homeowners are often told to increase the home’s “curb appeal.”

Homeowners looking to increase their home’s curb appeal should consider the following tips.

Make a more enchanting entrance. The very first part of the home prospective buyers will see is the front door. Typically, the house number is located right near the front door, so the buyers will be looking for the number and once they see it they can’t help but look at the door itself.

A decrepit or older door will not make a good first impression. Those home owners who don’t want (or need) to replace the door can touch up the paint job.

Other ways to improve a home’s entrance is to make sure the doorknob or doorknocker is polished before showing a home, and to ensure the doorbell is functioning as well.

These are small and easy projects, but if neglected, they’ll give buyers the impression that other, bigger things might have been neglected as well.

If the home has a front porch or stoop, be sure to inspect it for cracks. An older porch or stoop should be replaced, and any chips or cracks in the steps should be fixed.

Ready the roof. A new roof is very expensive, and buyers understandably often run from homes that need a new roof.

Sellers should hire their own home inspector to determine the condition of the roof before putting the home up for sale.

If they wait until after putting the home up for sale, it will likely take more time to sell the home, and buyers will wonder why the home was listed so long.

Know the home’s ups and downs before putting it up for sale to minimize any potential concerns from buyers.

Perfect the paint job. For homes without siding, be sure that the paint job is up to snuff.

Any areas with peeling or chipping paint should receive a fresh coat of paint, and this is another job that should be handled well before listing the home.

Lavish the lawn with attention. Buyers love a lush green lawn, and that lawn goes a long way to creating a solid first impression.

The first thing buyers will see once they pull up curbside is the lawn. If the grass is dry with brown spots or appears neglected, many buyers will find that hard to overlook.

Homeowners preparing to sell their home in the fall should lavish attention on their lawn throughout the summer, keeping it watered and possibly hiring a landscaping service to make it more appealing. Consider planting flowers or other decorative foliage.