Curb Appeal Tips for Sellers
Curb appeal – the way your property looks from the street – can add to its value and cut the time it takes to sell. Attractive landscaping and signs of a well-maintained exterior convey tangible value to potential buyers.
A bucket of soapy water and a long-handled, soft-bristled brush can remove the dust and dirt that have splashed onto your wood, vinyl, metal, stucco, brick, and fiber cement siding. Power washers (rental: $75 per day) can reveal the true color of your flagstone walkways. Don’t forget garage doors!
Clean windows, inside and out, reflect well – pun intended – on the owner. Garage doors should also be which was once bright white. If you can’t spray off the dirt, scrub it off with a solution of 1/2 cup trisodium phosphate — TSP, available at grocery stores, hardware stores, and home improvement centers — dissolved in 1 gallon of water.
You and a friend can make your house sparkle in a few weekends. A professional cleaning crew will cost hundreds — depending on the size of the house and number of windows — but will finish in a couple of days.
The most commonly offered curb appeal advice from real estate pros and appraisers is a fresh coat of exterior paint. Buyers will instantly notice it, and appraisers will value it.
Take a critical look at your roof.You can pay for roof repairs now, or pay for them later in a lower appraisal; appraisers will mark down the value by the cost of the repair. According to “Remodeling” magazine’s 2015 “Cost vs. Value Report,” the average cost of a new asphalt shingle roof is about $19,500.
Lastly, a well-cared for lawn and fresh mulch help provide the ‘frame’ to the beautiful picture of your home. Trimmed bushes, hedges, and well-tended plants convey are a welcome sight to potential buyers.
For more great ideas on how to prepare your home for sale, contact your Arlington Realty, Inc. realtor, and let their expertise and guidance help you market your home in the best way possible.