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Giving Your Home Curb Appeal

Janet Beane, 2018 President, Lorain County Association of Realtors®

Janet Beane 2018 LoCAR President
The axiom, “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” is true in many cases but perhaps not for consumers who are in the market to buy a home. With lots of competition in the market for buyers, a well-maintained “outside” can be just the thing to get home shoppers “inside”…for the long term.

A good first impression for your home is called “curb appeal”.

What makes curb appeal? Curb appeal is an intangible, subjective quality - but it is the one thing that can really sell a house. It builds the desire to own and to live a certain lifestyle that the exterior of the home appears to advertise. It can take you back to your childhood to when you had a home just like this one with the flowers in the front and the winding walkway to the door, and a beautiful brass door-knocker on the front door. It is the quality that makes you want to go inside.

A lot of improvement can be done with a little elbow grease.

• Clear away anything dead or unsightly- dead leaves, dead flowers. Trim the trees, lift the canopies. Replace flower beds with fresh blooming flowers.

• Paint the front door and anything else that needs painting. Try to choose a neutral color that goes with the brick, roof or trim of your home.

• Put out a clean, new welcome mat.

• Polish the brass doorknocker, the mail box, light fixtures, and address numbers.

• If you have a front porch, keep it swept clean. Clean the furniture and put nice, new pillows on the chairs.

• Keep the garage door closed. Put bikes, tricycles and children's toys out of the way.

• Safely lock away pets. If you have a pet that remains in the back yard, let the showing agent know in advance. If your dog is a barker, overly protective, or otherwise ill-mannered, arrange to board it somewhere else during showings.

What your buyer sees from the street is the first impression she/he will have of your home. You want it to be a good one, especially if there is a home down the street for sale that may be a little bit prettier, a little bit bigger, or a little bit something more. Don't worry; you aren't out of the running, yet.

Remember, your buyer's first impression of the exterior of the home is important because it sets the tone for the rest of the buyer's walk through. If the buyer has fallen in love with the exterior, she/he will look more favorably on what is found inside.

Also, because buyers today are very savvy and know what they want, it is so important that any home for sale must make a positive first impression. As a trusted source for real estate information, REALTORS® understand what attracts and motivates their buyer clients. We understand the importance of curb appeal in the buyer’s eye.

For more advice on how to make your home more appealing to more buyers, contact a professional -- a REALTOR® -- with the Lorain County Association of REALTORS®.

The Lorain County Association of REALTORS® is one of more than 1,200 local boards and associations of REALTORS® nationwide that comprise the National Association of REALTORS®. The National Association of Realtors®, “The Voice for Real Estate,” is America’s largest trade association, representing more than one million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.

REALTOR® is a registered collective membership mark which may be used only by real estate professionals who are members of the National Association of REALTORS® and subscribe to its strict Code of Ethics. Not all real estate sales agents are REALTORS®. All REALTORS® are members of NAR along with their State and Local Associations.

Lorain County
Association of REALTORS®

5321 Meadow Lane Ct. #6
Sheffield Village, OH 44035
Telephone: (440) 328-4210
E-mail: [email protected]
Fair Housing Hotline:
1-800-662-FAIR
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