by Karlton Utter

Curb Appeal Tips:

First, try really hard to look at your house through an outsider’s eyes. Go for a walk outside, long enough to clear your mind and senses. Come back to your house, pretending you’ve never seen it before. Take notes on what looks “off” and needs repairing, replacing or cleaning. You might see something you’ve never noticed before, like a broken shutter or a missing piece of fence.

Start by taking a good look at your front door. This is the first thing everyone looks at. Is the paint chipping? If so add some pizzazz to your home’s front entrance by painting your door a pretty hue that coordinates with your home’s color. Make sure there is a contrast between the front door and the facade of the home. Then look at your door’s hardware. Make sure your deadbolt, knob, knocker and foot plate are of the same finish. This shows your attention to small details.

Light up your landscape. Give your walkway an edge with solar light fixtures, which are affordable and easy to install and you can place them where they highlight your home’s best attributes. If you want a bit more of a dramatic effect, add spotlights. Up lighting provided by spotlights accentuates the texture of tree trunks and creates a pleasing glow on foliage.

And always remember that your home needs to be visible from the curb in order to have curb appeal. So cut overgrown bushes and trees. And remove branches that block walkways, windows, the driveway and views of the home from the street. People need to see the front of the house to appreciate it.

Prepping and Staging the Indoors:

Starting at your front door, walk through the house, open doors, closets, and pay attention to the first scent that you smell. You may be surprised to see some great aspects as well as how things you might be comfortable living with might not be so impressive to a buyer.

Next, de-clutter. Leave some shelves and drawers nearly empty throughout your house- even in the pantry! You’re going to pack it all up at some point, so why not start early. Donate, sell, or put items in storage.

Personal artwork, collections, or highly unique objects attract too much attention from buyers when you’d rather them look at the whole house. It’s better to remove those items to create a more neutral look throughout the entire home.

Fill empty spaces with poufs or storage cubes for an easy additional seating option and also to balance out the room. Also, have an appropriately sized coffee table. If the table is too large, the roof will feel cramped. If it is too small, the room will seem too cavernous.

Bedrooms should have a neatly made bend and one or two nightstands, a lamp, and a chair if there is room. Place extra dressers in storage because you want to see a lot of floor space in each room.

Follow these tips to make a lasting first impression to passersby and prospective buyers!