Did you know that over half of all purchase decisions are made within the first 60 seconds?
That means, first impressions matter. And this is especially true for those trying to sell their home.
And, seeing as the first impression people get of your home is from the street, you better make it a good one.
This first glance from the street is something we have come to coin as curb appeal. Improve your curb appeal, and you improve your chances of selling your home fast.
So, how do you do it?
Read on to learn the top curb appeal ideas to sell your home fast.
1. A Fresh Coat of Paint Goes a Long Way
A fresh coat of paint can really take your home to the next level.
This is especially true if your trim or exterior siding is made from wood. Repainting the entire exterior will cost you around $2,500.
If this price is out of your budget, consider just touching up the areas that need it the most. Or, at the very minimum, give your front door a fresh coat of paint, using an inviting color.
This can be done as a DIY project and should only cost around $20.
2. Invest in Quality Landscaping
According to research conducted by Virginia Tech, good landscaping can increase the value of your home by as much as 10 to 12 percent.
However, hiring a professional landscaper isn’t cheap. So again, if your budget is tight, don’t be afraid to tackle the job yourself.
The main things you’ll want to take care of including trimming overgrown hedges, cutting back tree branches that are blocking the view of your home, raking the leaves, cleaning out flower beds, and of course, keeping the lawn nicely mowed.
3. Make the Front Door Area as Welcoming as Possible
Potential buyers are going to enter through your front door, therefore, this area needs to be as welcoming as possible.
We already talked about how a fresh coat of paint can work wonders, but there are other things you can do as well to make it appear more welcoming.
For example, you could add a decorative wreath, potted plant, a porch swing or a welcome mate. The more cheery you can make the space look, the better.
4. Upgrade Your Lighting
All these curb appeal upgrades won’t do you any good if people can’t actually see them.
While most people will come to look at your home in the night, many do a quick drive by at night as well.
Therefore, it’s very important that the area outside your home is well-lit. You can add landscape lighting that will highlight the architectural features of your home as well as increase its’ safety.
If you don’t want to splurge for the $1500 or so it costs to install landscape lighting, you can install some solar panel lights on your own.
5. Take Care of Basic Maintenance
When you’re so busy trying to sell your home and buy a new one, basic maintenance tasks can slip through the tasks.
However, keeping up with basic maintenance is very important. Take a walk around the exterior of your home and look for any cracked windows, missing mortar, or loose shutters.
Then, have these things repaired promptly.
Ready to Put These Curb Appeal Ideas to the Test?
Now that you have these curb appeal ideas under your belt, it’s time to put them to the test.
But, remember that the outside of your home is only half the battle. You also need to stage the inside. For help on that, contact us.