You have just 5 to 10 second to capture a potential buyer by either the way your home looks as they drive by or in pictures on the Internet or in print. This is why curb appeal is so important. You don’t want people to pass by your home and not stop, look and want to know more. Yet, how can you appeal to a wide range of homebuyers and capture them simply on your curb appeal? Here are some simple and easy tips to captivate buyers and attract more eyes on to your property.
#1. Know your audience.
This is the first step in attracting homebuyers by your curb appeal. If you don’t know who your target audience is you cannot appeal to them. Talk to real estate professionals in your neighborhood and your community about what is attracting buyers to particular homes. Is it certain colors? More lawns or more rock gardens? More trees and shrubs? What is it that attracts more buyers in your particular area? This can really vary from region to region. In the California real estate market low maintenance, simple, trimmed and green really appeal to a wide range of homebuyers but this even can vary from neighborhood to neighborhood so make sure you speak to your agent about your particular neighborhood and how you can appeal to buyers looking in that area.
#2. Simplify.
You don’t have to go all out with hundreds of dollars worth of landscaping features in order to appeal to buyers. Too much sell and all buyers see is a high maintenance yard. Simple, tailored, polished and trimmed is the best way to attract a wide range of homebuyers. Make sure that lawn is the greenest, neatest, and cleanest yard in the neighborhood. Trust me, buyers will notice.
#3. Carry the curb appeal to the front door.
Your curb appeal should be what’s drawing buyers up to the front door for a closer look but don’t stop there. Make sure the windows are washed, paint the front door or the trim around close windows and doors, update the hardware on the door including any porch lights, doorbells and mailboxes. These little details can add charm and sophistication to your curb appeal.
#4. Find a balance between standing out and fitting in.
If the home is to dramatically different from all of the neighbors you might stand out in a bad way. You don’t want to be radically different from your neighborhood but stay with the design and continuity of most of the homes in the neighborhood but at just a little bit more upscale finishing then your closest neighbor. Brighten up your lawn with some nitrogen; added stately flowerpots to either side of the front steps; added light post or some sidewalk lights and trim all trees away from the siding of the house, sidewalks, steps and walkways.
Again, one of the first things you should do is to talk to your real estate agent about the micro neighborhoods and what buyers expect in a particular area. As a Orlando real estate agent I’d be happy to offer tips and suggestions on what buyers in this area specifically look for in a homes curb appeal.