How to Instantly Increase Your Home’s Curb Appeal
Whether you’re getting your house ready to list or simply feel like your home’s exterior is in need of a refresh, seeing your property through the eyes of a potential buyer is a good exercise for determining what to tackle first. To help those who might be considering selling ensure that their home makes a great first impression, we asked Ann Hay Hardy, an associate at Charlottesville, Virginia-based Frank Hardy Sotheby’s International Realty, for advice on ways to instantly increase your home’s curb appeal. Here is her expert advice:
Tidy up your landscape. Luckily for those of us who do not have a green thumb, getting your landscape ready for a showing doesn’t have to entail much in the way of gardening. General maintenance, however, is a must if you’re aiming to impress. Hardy recommends preparing your yard and garden for eagle-eyed visitors by cleaning up any leaves, pulling weeds, and edging and mulching your beds.
Make sure your decks and porches are in pristine condition. Now is the time to get your outdoor gathering spaces power-washed. Want to really wow your audience? Taking your efforts a step further by applying a nice new coat of stain to your deck or porch will go a long way, too, according to Hardy.
Address any touch-ups. If you have peeling paint on your home’s exterior, take the time to perform the necessary touch-ups—or better yet, enlist the help of an expert. Give your house a good once-over, and identify any trim or other elements (such as shutters and doors) that could use refreshing.
Remove debris from the roof and gutters. Having a clean roof and gutters won’t just make your house look tidier to prospective buyers, it will also signal that you take home maintenance seriously. This is another task that’s worth bringing in an expert to execute…unless you have an affinity for heights and ladders.
TSG Tip 255 from Ann Hay Hardy of Frank Hardy Sotheby’s International Realty in Charlottesville, Virginia. Frank Hardy Sotheby’s International Realty is featured in The Scout Guide Charlottesville. Featured property is Eldon Farm in Keswick, Virginia; for more information contact Ann Hay Hardy at 434.296.0134.
