Whether you deal with residential real estate investments
or commercial ones, here's a fact that's often overlooked
by sellers—even the most hard-headed buyer will react
emotionally to a property upon first sight. You want them
to react positively, of course. The last thing you want
them thinking is, "Lord, what a dog of a property!"
Obviously, in that case, your chances of a sale are slim at
best.
The good news is that you can gain maximum curb appeal
through a minimum of expenditure (depending on the size and
nature of the property, of course). And that maximum curb
appeal can not only result in a sale, but a greater profit
from the sale. So, the cost of improving a property's curb
appeal is not really a cost at all—it's an investment
in more money!
In this article, I'll look at tasks you can perform to
improve the curb appeal of residential properties. I'll
cover commercial property curb appeal in another article.
Residential Properties
Clean, clean and clean again inside and out! Let's face it,
dirt and grease aren't great sales tools, especially for
discriminating female buyers. The presence of dirt not only
says something about the house; to the buyer, it also says
something about you, and what it says is—"He/she
doesn't care so why should I buy the property? I don't want
to deal with a person like that." So, clean the house (or
have it cleaned) top to bottom, inside and out, and get rid
of any odors that might offend a potential buyer.
Don't paint cheap, paint great!—Instead of going
cheap, buy good paint for the interior and/or exterior.
It'll last longer and be cheaper in the long run. Plus, it
looks better and pleases the eye of potential buyers.
Roll out the carpet! Lay new carpet, if needed. The right
carpeting adds warmth and class to a home and beats the
heck out of bare floorboards in the visual sense. If the
current carpet is in good shape, have it cleaned to make it
look even better.
Repair the little things. Make sure you repair the little
things to enhance exterior and interior curb appeal. When
potential buyers find lots of little things wrong, it
irritates them no end and that results in the end of your
sale. So, replace gutters and rotted wood, fix door
latches, replace leaky faucets, etc.
Scape that lawn! Not only make sure the lawn is mowed and
clear of unsightly items, but consider adding plantings to
really improve curb appeal. Flowers, bushes,
etc.—they're a quick and cheap way to really add
color and beauty to a property. With the right mix of
plantings, you appeal not only to the eye but to the
olfactory senses of buyers as well. Why is this important?
The sense of smell is one of the most powerful evokers of
emotion there is. Pleasant smells = pleasant thoughts = a
pleasant sale!
Consider going on stage! If you don't have the time, but
have the resources, consider using an "accredited
professional home stager" (ASP) to prepare a house for
sale. Home stagers work with the "flow" of a home. In other
words, they eliminate clutter, arrange furniture, and help
you enhance interior/exterior curb appeal overall. Their
charges may be on an hourly basis or a flat fee. An
alternative is to get yourself certified as a home stager
and do the staging yourself. You'll save money and add
expertise to your resume!
Best of luck with your curb appeal efforts!
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Jack Sternberg is a nationally recognized expert on real
estate investment and the creator of the renowned "Buyers
First Program" who's been in the business for more than 30
years. Sternberg's deals have totaled over $750 million and
he's been to the closing table more than 1,500 times. For
more, visit http://www.askjacksternberg.com
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