Plan to sell your house? Be aware – it's a buyer's market, and many prospective homeowners will decide to give your home a critical once-over based solely on its exterior appearance. Your home needs that special something to compete. Invest now: boost the curb appeal of your home to catch eyes and draw in those who will buy.
View your house as buyers do: It is not a home. It is a commodity to be bought and sold. Use your critical eye to evaluate the outside of your residence. Is the paint chipped? Are the shutters askew? Michigan's variable climate has likely wreaked havoc on your siding. Clean the outside of your home: Wash your windows, both the glass and the screens, until they shine. Clear Michigan's famous fall foliage from your clogged gutters. Then, rent a pressure washer to brighten the view from the road: Blast dirt, mold, and mildew from any areas of dingy siding; remove cobwebs from underneath your gutters, and spray down your deck to be sure that your whole yard sparkles.
Next, address the effects of broken caulking and the wet spring months. If you can afford to repaint, do so. If not, touch-up individual patches of wear: Scrape paint chips from any areas of loose paint, prime the area to be painted, and repaint with a latex formula that will resist weather-related cracks. Fix any leaks to prevent further damage.
Make sure that your yard is well kept: Rake your lot if it is wooded, fertilize the grass, and keep your lawn trimmed. If your lawn seems barren, overseed the yard in the late summer and early spring to grow more green. Prune any shrubs that grow around your house, and create planters for your trees. Trim back any tree branches that hang near your roof. Repaint your shed, and stain your deck and fence. Remember that you can appeal to prospective buyers with well-maintained pathways that lead to your home – edge any sidewalks that decorate your lawn, and weed out plants that grow between slabs of concrete or bricks. If your budget allows, replace your concrete walk with paving stones: Paving stones hold up well through Michigan's harsh, snowy winters. and appeal to prospective buyers with well-maintained pathways that lead to your home. Clean driveway oil spills, and re-coat your weathered walk with asphalt sealer.
Finally, entice buyers into your home with a clean porch. Remove all clutter from the space around your front door, and add tarnish-free accessories. Kick plates, mail drops and decorative house numbers can dramatically improve the appearance of your entryway. Repaint, stain, or replace your front door so that it is in good condition and contrasts with the color of your house, and make sure all porch hardware is in good condition. Finally, flank your doorway with greenery to draw eyes – and buyers – to and through the entrance to your dwelling place.
The weekend of work that you spend to improve the outside of your home will transform its atmosphere; your home will be snapped from the market. Aim for the Better Homes and Gardens look to increase your home's curb appeal now: You will never have a second chance to make a first impression.
