Home Selling Advice - Improvements to the Outside of your Home

Improvements to the Outside of your Home

Improving the appearance of the outside of your home is probably the most important improvement you can make. It creates the first impression not only when the buyer is outside but also on the MLS, after all the main MLS picture is nearly always a picture of the outside of the house. If the buyer does not like the exterior of the home, then the chances are they will not progress to the next level and view the pictures of the inside of your home. Which in turn means they will not request a viewing. The various improvements you should concentrate on are:

Improving the Garden

Take a walk around your neighborhood and compare your garden with your neighbors, it should at least be comparable and ideally should look better than most. If it needs improving then buy some bushes and flowering plants that are currently in season, that splash of color could make all the difference. Do not buy mature or young trees, they can be expensive and young trees do not provide the punch that is required.

Your grass should be cut regularly, and should not contain brown spots. If there are spots that need re-sodding then this should be taken care of with enough time so that it blends with the rest of the lawn.

Improvements to the Exterior of Your Home

Does the exterior of your home need repainting, or is the current color going to put people off. Repainting is generally a good investment, you will attract more viewings and you should get some if not all of your money back when you home is sold.

If you do decide to repaint then make sure you pick a color that is neutral and will not offend potential buyers. Don't for example paint your home exteria lime green when all the other surrounding homes are cream.

As a general rule of thumb your roof should have at least 3 years worth of life remaining. If you have any doubts then you may want to have a roofer perform an inspection and provide a report. This way you can present this to the buyer. If you already have leaks then these will need to be disclosed in the sellers disclosures, so you may has well just fix the problem now rather than later.

The Front Door & Entryway

The buyers first impressions come from your front yard and door / entryway. Because of this you will want to make sure that the door is well maintained with a fresh coat of paint or stain if needed and any metal is polished.

You may also want invest in a nice welcome mat and if you have a porch, a swing or seat creates a good impression. Remember you can always take these will you.

One last thing, make sure the key to be placed in the lockbox works correctly. If a Realtor has problems opening the door then this creates a bad first impression to the potential home buyer.

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