Spring in the Midwest is the perfect time to boost your
home’s curb appeal in ways that will last all year long.
If you are thinking of selling your home, you should know
the importance of curb appeal to buyers. According to the National Association
of Realtors, 63% of homebuyers will drop by after viewing your home online. The
exterior, including the front entry, yard, driveway and sidewalk, will serve as
a snapshot of what’s to see inside.
Homes with high curb appeal command higher prices and take
less time to sell. But even if you are not currently thinking of selling your
home, the following maintenance and beautifying tasks will help create the home
you’d like to live with anyway.
Wash Up
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 can reveal the true color of your flagstone walkways. Wash your
windows inside and out, swipe cobwebs from eaves, and hose down
downspouts. Don’t forget to wash the garage door.
Touch Up the Paint
The most commonly offered curb appeal advice from real
estate pros and appraisers is to give the exterior of your home a good paint job
(if not maintenance free). Your best bet is to
match the paint you already have: Scrape off a little and ask your local paint
store to match it.
Check the Roof
The condition of
your roof is one of the first things buyers notice and
appraisers assess. Missing, curled, or faded shingles add nothing to the look
or value of your house. If your neighbors have maintained or replaced their
roofs, yours will look especially shabby.
Manicure the Yard
A well-manicured
lawn, fresh mulch, and pruned shrubs boost the curb appeal of any
home. Replace overgrown bushes with leafy plants and colorful annuals. Surround
bushes and trees with a little mulch. Put a crisp edge on garden beds, pull
weeds and invasive vines, and plant a few potted flowers. Green up your grass
with lawn food and water. Cover bare spots with seeds and sod, get rid of crab
grass, and mow regularly.
Add Color
Even a little color attracts and pleases the eye of would-be buyers. Dig a
flowerbed by the mailbox and plant some pansies. Place a brightly colored bench
or Adirondack chair on the front porch. Paint the front door a complimentary
color.
Maintenance
Nothing looks scarier from the curb than hanging
gutters, missing bricks from the front steps, or peeling paint. Not
only can these deferred maintenance items damage your home, but they can
decrease the value of your house by up to 10%. Be sure to refasten sagging gutters, re-point bricks that
have lost their mortar, reseal cracked asphalt, straighten shutters and replace
any cracked windows.
List
Once you have your home exterior spruced up and beautified,
sit back, relax and enjoy it – then call The Boehmer Team when you are ready to
list it. We make the process of selling
your home easier than the process of getting it ready for sale. Contact us at www.TheBoehmerTeam.com
