| When getting your home ready to sell, you could | | | | walking in and getting crowded uncomfortably into |
| invest in all kinds of services and upgrades but it | | | | the front door. Another idea I heard from a |
| is tough to know what really will pay off. These | | | | colleague that I thought was a great is to set up |
| are some guidelines to help you know start | | | | a scene on the front porch. If you do have a |
| thinking like a Buyer and see what will help sell | | | | porch that allows for some space to work with, |
| your home. In the end, each real estate market | | | | you could set up a rocking chair or some modern |
| and neighborhood is different, so consult with a | | | | patio furniture, depending on the style of your |
| real estate agent as to what is best for your | | | | home to create that inviting feeling. |
| situation. | | | | Power washing your home is a good way to get |
| Curb appeal is definitely at the top of the list to | | | | it looking ready for its new owner as well. It is |
| tend too. Don't underestimate the importance of | | | | relatively inexpensive and if you have the DIY |
| curb appeal when selling a home. Most Buyers will | | | | motivation, you could rent a power-washer from |
| drive by and check out a list of homes. You want | | | | a hardware store and try yourself, just be careful |
| your home to make it on that list so you can get | | | | to not blast your home too much because you |
| them in the door. If you cannot attract Buyers to | | | | could damage it. When cleaning it up, pay attention |
| get in the home, you have no chance to sell. | | | | to the sidewalks and the areas near the |
| Keep the yard trimmed and cleaned up. If you | | | | foundation that may have dirtied over the years |
| don't have the time yourself or have already | | | | from rain. Also, clean up those decks. Also, clean |
| moved out of town, hire a professional to come | | | | up those decks. Many decks look like they are on |
| by every 2 weeks. The $100 or so a month to | | | | the verge of falling apart but really just need to |
| have someone polish the outside of your place is | | | | be cleaned. There are special deck-cleaning |
| worth it. Once things get overgrown and die, the | | | | solvents that help bring your decks back to life to |
| home looks completely neglected and run-down, | | | | look almost new. |
| even if the inside is spectacular. | | | | The next level would be painting. Painting can get |
| Spend some time planting some flowers and/or | | | | pricey but can really do wonders. It is amazing |
| mulching. Fresh mulch spruces up the outside and | | | | how many Buyers I look with notice all the scuffs |
| is a relatively quick, low cost, and incredibly | | | | and nicks in paint, especially an empty home. |
| effective at making the home look inviting. If you | | | | When furniture is in a house, it distracts from all |
| can swing it, planting flowers adds that extra | | | | the every-day scraps it may have, but an empty |
| touch that makes the home look well-cared for. | | | | home has nothing to look at but itself, so they |
| Of course, you will need to keep after the | | | | get scrutinized much more. Painting also cleans up |
| flowers, water them, and make sure they don't | | | | the place. I had a house professional cleaned |
| die. If you don't have the time to do this or the | | | | recently, and although it was spotless, it still felt |
| money to pay someone else to keep up with the | | | | dirty because the paint needed to be freshened |
| gardening, then don't do it. No flowers are better | | | | up. The outside paint is important as well, |
| than dead flowers. | | | | especially if the home has siding. If you have a |
| Another option is to put some fake arrangements | | | | home with siding and bordered windows, consider |
| on the front step. There are some decent fake | | | | multiple colors that frame the windows and door |
| trees and with a nice ceramic pot, you can dress | | | | and make it pop. Usually, painting with one color is |
| up your front porch. Of course, if you have | | | | much cheaper but you get more bang for your |
| barely any room on the front porch then opt for | | | | buck when giving your home some contrasting |
| keeping it less crowded. You do not want Buyer's | | | | colors. |