Recently I have been speaking in the warmer areas of the country, twice this past month in Florida, February, I am in Hawaii, March, Houston, Atlanta and The Bahamas…you get the idea. What is so interesting is that it forces me to understand everyone’s definition of “cold.†It does not really seem to matter where you live, once we hit November and the temperature dips, it is still cold to the person that lives there. The advantage of the warmer climates in the colder times of the year is, of course, more options for curb appeal. Curb Appeal still seems to be the greatest mystery of all. I am amazed at how people continue to ignore the second most important component in staging and selling. But, if Curb Appeal is the second most important component in staging and selling, what is the first? Marketing. This month though, with that big “marketing†teaser out there, I want to talk about pure, solid, much needed, curb appeal.
Here are the TOP 15 most powerful steps in creating great curb appeal:
1. Cut the grass
2. Plant grass seed if needed and keep it watered
3. Trim along the sidewalk and driveway
4. Trim and form hedges and shrubs
5. Paint or replace your mailbox
6. Give me one great, amazing, in your face pocket of emotion they can see from the curb-this can be a wonderful bench, birdbath, wall accessory, door hanging…obviously this depends upon the property and the look and feel of the neighborhood.
7. Easy to see house numbers (here is a hint, these can be very impactful if painted the same color as the front door or can even hold their own as a POC if you did it right)
8. Add Great lighting if it is dark outside or even at the entry with a heavy overhang. It should also go with the property theme and look, be clean and free of bugs and webs.
9. Everyone needs a good welcome mat too. It should not be over the top, no matter the type of property. If you are dying to do something super cute (like puppies or bears), then it needs to go at the back door.
10. Paint color on the house is so important. Make sure it works with the rest of the neighborhood and the paint itself is in good condition. Remember, sometimes you don’t need to paint the entire house, but rather just the front or the trim…or even the garage and front door. You must decide based on the condition of the home. But there is no need to waste money if it does not need it. The best paint colors fit in nicely with the surroundings. Such as warm beiges, pale butters, whites and variations on whites, and cool grays.
11. Don’t stop with just a good looking and well painted front door, you must also have an appropriate front door handle as well. This does not mean the front door handle has to be brand new, but rather, it must be interesting and work with the house. Some homes have wonderful front door handles—better than front doors, but again, you must make a judgment call.
12. We talked about paint, but don’t forget about trim. Often, a house needs to have the trim power washed and painted vs. having to paint the entire house. The trim should always work with the paint color. If you are not sure, don’t choose a crazy color. Generally speaking, on bread and butter homes, white is appropriate, on higher end homes, I would suggest that you request one of our professional color consultations from Simple Appeal or one of our Certified Property Designers.
13. Make certain that the look on the inside, from the outside, is appealing, balanced and makes sense (in other words, are there consistent window coverings, are they all pulled to the same length, what is on the sills, what can they see inside the windows from the outside)
14. Bookend the front door, driveway, and walkway (if needed) when appropriate. What I mean by “bookend†is that you should have the same or similar things on each side to accent the entry and give the home some dimension. For example, red geranium planters on either side of the garage, smaller versions lining the walkway and 2 miniature evergreens at the front door or even topiary’s depending upon the neighborhood.
15. Last but not least, always accent a view. If you have not taken the time to do something like this, you are missing out. People will often look for a property based on a view alone, so if you have one, even the potential of one, make the most of it. Give them someplace to sit and enjoy the view, highlight it in your marketing and advertising and create a clean line of sight if needed.
Obviously, some of these details depend upon the property, neighborhood and climate. As I said, the warmer climates have greater opportunity for curb appeal, but it often means more upkeep as well. For my money—give me warmth! I will talk more about curb appeal over the next several series since it is such a vital aspect in successfully transacting your properties.
Karen Schaefer is an Investor, Writer, Speaker and Property Designer. She is the founder of Simple Appeal, Inc., the Premier Nationwide Staging and Design Company as well as APSD, The Association of Property Scene Designers. She is known nationwide as the Expert on selling properties in ½ the time at full market value. If you would like to learn more about Home Staging, Curb Appeal, Real Estate Marketing and Selling, go to www.APSDmembers.com.