4 Simple Curb Appeal Tips to Attract Buyers

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.

Have You Become Nose-blind to Your Home?

Unraveling the Mystery of Nose Blindness: How to Uncover Hidden Odors in Your Home

Have You Become Nose-blind to Your Home? You’ve probably seen those commercials where people have gone “nose blind” to odors in their home such as garbage, kitty litter, or cigarette smoke, but how do you know if you have become nose blind to your own odor? The phenomenon of nose blindness, also known as olfactory adaptation, is a real thing, and it can affect anyone. According to psychologists, it’s a prevalent issue that many people are unaware of, causing them to overlook persistent smells in their living spaces. In this article, we will delve deeper into the world of nose blindness, understand its causes, and explore various methods to make yourself more aware of the interior odors that might be lurking around your home.

The concept of nose blindness is quite fascinating. Our sense of smell, while incredibly powerful, can also be remarkably selective. When we encounter a new smell, our nose registers it and analyzes whether it poses any threat or requires immediate attention. If it’s deemed non-threatening or unimportant, our receptors tend to shut down for that particular odor, leading to a decreased ability to detect it over time. This is why smells that persist in our surroundings often go unnoticed.

Now, you might be wondering how you can ascertain whether you are a victim of nose blindness. Fear not, as there are several methods to uncover hidden odors in your home and regain your sensitivity to them.

The first and most effective approach is to distance yourself from your living space for an extended period. Consider leaving your home for a few days or even a week. During your absence, close all the windows and doors to seal in the odors. Upon your return, take a deep breath through your nose as soon as you open the door. The fresh perspective you gain from being away can make any lingering odors more noticeable.

Another technique to test for hidden odors is to get your blood flowing. Engage in physical activities that get your heart rate up, such as running up and down the stairs, jumping, or taking brisk laps around the block. Physical exertion increases your respiration rate, allowing you to take in more air and consequently perceive any lingering smells that might have become unnoticeable during periods of inactivity.

Asking for feedback might feel awkward, but it is an effective way to find out if your house has any lingering smells. Reach out to a trusted friend or family member who can be brutally honest with you, and ask for their opinion on how your house smells. Since they are not accustomed to your home’s scent, they will be better able to identify any unusual or persistent odors.

Interestingly, merely worrying about whether your house smells can actually improve your ability to detect foul odors. Fear and stress seem to interfere with our sense of shutting off familiar scent receptors. By stressing out about the possibility of hidden odors, you might activate your sense of smell, making you more sensitive to any unwanted scents.

In addition to these methods, there are other proactive measures you can take to ensure your home remains free of unpleasant odors. Regularly cleaning and maintaining your living space is crucial. Be diligent in taking out the trash, cleaning litter boxes, and using air fresheners or natural remedies like essential oils to maintain a fresh atmosphere. Opening windows regularly for ventilation can also help prevent odors from accumulating.

Furthermore, be mindful of any potential sources of lingering smells in your home. If you have pets, bathe and groom them regularly, and wash their bedding to keep pet odors at bay. If you smoke, consider doing it outdoors to minimize the impact on indoor air quality. Additionally, regularly clean carpets, upholstery, and curtains, as they can trap odors over time.

In conclusion, nose blindness, or olfactory adaptation, is a real and common phenomenon that can cause us to overlook persistent odors in our homes. However, by employing various methods such as leaving your home for a while, engaging in physical activities, seeking feedback, and even worrying a bit, you can become more aware of hidden odors and take proactive steps to eliminate them. Maintaining a clean and fresh living space is essential for a healthier and more pleasant environment for you and your guests. So, why not challenge your sense of smell and unmask those elusive odors today?

More Advice for Florida Home Sellers:

Selling Your Lakefront Home in Clermont

Right now is an excellent time to sell a home, but a successful home sale is only as successful as its selling strategy, even in a sellers’ market when there are a large amount of potential buyers’ out there looking for homes.

Here are some things to consider when selling a lakefront home in Clermont Florida:

Pricing

Prices of lakefront homes and other waterfront properties can vary greatly, even when they are located in the same town or on the same lake. Waterfront property values are impacted by many different factors, some that have nothing to do with the house at all.

Some of these factors that impact lakefront home value include:

Location

Particular Lake and lake size

Home square footage and amount of property frontage on the water

Amenities- of the community/neighborhood, the lake itself, and the surrounding town

Current health and usability of the lake

It is key to set the listing price of your home at fair market value, even in a sellers’ market. The best way to do this for a lake home is to hire a local agent that specializes in lakefront properties.

Cleaning and Repairs

Though homes are selling quickly, it is still a good idea to have your home in great condition before listing it. This will help your home to sell more quickly and for as high of a price as possible. Some great low cost repairs to make include:

Fresh Paint: a coat of fresh paint will do wonders to brighten up a space and make it feel like new. This gives the impression the home is well cared for. Neutral colors are best to appeal to a larger set of buyers and wider range of style preferences.

Curb Appeal and Landscaping: one of the main reasons people want to buy a lake home is for the land. You want to make sure that the outside of the home is clean, tidy, and nice looking. Make sure that if you have a dock it is also in good repair.

Clean, Clean, Clean: there is nothing more off-putting than a home that smells musty, is dirty, or cluttered. Make sure to only keep out the essentials for living and consider investing in professional cleaning services to show off your home in its best light.

Homes that seem to be in move-in ready condition sell much faster than those that need a fair amount of work to make them livable.

For more information on selling your lakefront home in Clermont please contact me anytime. I have extensive knowledge in the local real estate market and selling lakefront properties. For more information on lake homes in Clermont and surrounding areas please contact me at any time.

If you enjoyed this info you might like these too:

How to Stage Nearly Every Room in Your House

Staging a house is one of the major steps to listing and selling property. Just 30 years ago staging was practically nonexistent. Homeowners simply cleaned their house and hope for the best, but with the addition of HGTV, fixer upper programs, and home staging shows, staging is a necessary part of the selling process. But, everybody’s home is different and every room is different so let’s go room by room to find out the best way to stage each room in your home.

Curb appeal

Let’s start from the outside and work our way in. Most MLS listings require the main photo of the house to be the outside of the house or the view from the house. 90%, probably more, of listings show the outside of the house so that first initial picture has to make a great impression.

Make sure the grass has been mowed, trees and bushes have been trimmed, walkways swept and neatly edged, and it doesn’t look too cluttered or crowded. You will have a lot of people coming up to your front door and while they are standing there waiting for their agent to get the key, they will be looking around, so make sure you have enough space at the front door and a welcome an inviting atmosphere. Make it easy for people to get to the front walk, stairs, or front porch. Keep flowers to a minimum and usually only one color at a time. Consider touching up the trim on the house itself, repainting house numbers, and sprucing up the mailbox if necessary.

Front door and entrance

Once people get into the house make sure they have enough room to maneuver. If it’s too crowded, they will immediately feel uneasy and uncomfortable. Remember, there are usually at least three people visiting the home while it is on the market, the agent, and one or two buyers. There could be more so you want to make sure there’s plenty of room for everyone to get comfortably into the house. If there is enough space consider a bench where people can put on their shoes, a shoe rack or coathanger, or simply a small table to set down keys or a wallet. Make the entrance inviting, warm, and welcoming but not too crowded unless you have plenty of space.

Living room/family room

In today’s modern design many homes have both the living room and a family room. This could mean a formal living room and a casual living room or an open floor plan. If you have a formal living room, this should be free of any major media such as TVs and video games. It might have a fireplace so dress up the mantle with just one or two small items.

Have chairs facing toward each other and away from the wall so there’s plenty of room to move around the furniture. If you have a coffee table, consider one or two simple items with neutral colors and decor. Nothing should be stacked on the floor other than furniture and you want to create a sense of atmosphere in the room so if there are hardwood floors consider a large rug in the center that all the furniture goes onto. Large throw pillows or one throw blanket is about all you need to create a cozy environment.

Family room – the family room should be exactly that, a space where families can gather, watch TV, have family movie night, game night, or simply entertain friends and family. This should be comfortable but not cluttered. If there are bookshelves they should be cleared off with just a couple of books and a knickknack per shelf.

Related Post: 4 Things Home Inspectors are Looking for

The kitchen

This is the heart of most homes so staging a kitchen is really going to be a crucial part of the staging process.

Schedule a Listing Consultation

First of all, clean every single cupboard, drawer, and cabinet. Pack away items you know you won’t need until the new house, clean cupboards, organize things in pantries, and clear everything off of the counters. Then carefully put back one or two items per space. For instance, if you have a large island, clear it off completely and just have a bowl of lemons or fruit or even a vase with fresh greens and flowers. Windows should be cleaned and sparkling, and all cabinets should be wiped down.

Your kitchen should smell clean and look clean so having a nice cotton scent or a warm apple cinnamon smell is often favorable.

Bathrooms

Bathrooms, even half baths, should be an inviting and clean space. Once you’ve thoroughly cleaned, I mean a good deep clean, make each bathroom like a small spa retreat. If you have space, allow for a small basket with rolled white linen towels, a few toiletries, and soap. If you have a large master bath create a spa-like environment with candles around the tub, a perfectly clean shower with either brand-new soap or nothing at all inside. Pack away any personal items, toiletries, brushes, toothbrushes, and makeup and make sure there’s nothing on the counter except for a neat soap dispenser and that small basket of rolled towels if you have enough space. A nice vase of fresh flowers or greenery creates a freshness to the bathroom as well.

Bedrooms

Just as with the bathroom, a bedroom should create a spa-like, restful retreat space as well. Beds should be made with a lot of extra pillows and comfy linens and fresh bedding, dressers and nightstands should be completely cleared off with just one or two items such as a lamp, book, maybe a pair of glasses, and a vase of fresh greens or flowers. If you have enough space a sitting area with a comfy chair, neatly arranged throw pillow, and nightstand makes an inviting space to come, sit, and read a while.

Closets

Closets should be neat and organized. Now is the time to pack up any office season clothing and make each closet appear to have a lot of extra space. If people see a crowded closet they think that there is not enough space in the house itself and may be deterred from looking any further. Walk-in closets should be neatly organized, shoes should be lined up or stacked, and shirts and pants neatly folded or rolled on shelves or in drawers.

Kids rooms

You don’t have to get all stodgy and boring with children’s rooms but they do need to be organized and clean. Get bins or chests to tuck away toys that are not being played with or pack up items that can be used at the next house. Organize closets the same way you would an adult closet and keep books and toys neatly organized. Try to get the kids not to make any mass that cannot be cleaned up within 30 minutes.

Laundry room

A laundry room could also double as a mud room so this space can get dirty quickly. Try to keep floors free of any clothing, rags, or towels, wash dirty or wet clothing immediately, and have a space to hang up wet items, coats, hats, and scarves. The laundry area should be ready for laundry day with the dryer sheets, laundry soap neatly stacked and organized, and counters clear of any clutter.

Schedule a Listing Consultation

Garage

Yes, a garage still needs staging. If people think the house is perfectly clean and clear and then walk into a cluttered garage, they may think that you are hiding something else. It may be time to rent a storage pod or storage space while the home is on the market. If you can get at least one car in the garage, buyers will assume they can as well. You can have items in the garage but they should be neat, organized and labeled.

These are the main rooms in a home that need to be staged. If this seems overwhelming, take it one room at a time. Give yourself a week or more to prepare your house for sale before listing. You only get one chance to make a first impression.

Additional Staging Resources:

Sure-Fire Ways to Get a Home Sold

How to Stage Your Empty Saw Mill Lakes Home in Clermont

How to Stage Your Lake Front Property In Clermont?

Clermont Florida Listing Agent

The Winter Market

Florida real estate sales certainly ramp up in the winter because as the most of the country is under a blanket of snow or at least cold temperatures, we are warm and toasty here in Central Florida. But, this does pose some interesting marketing dilemmas. How do you market of Florida home in the winter? Do you price it differently? What type of buyers are looking for a home in the winter in Florida? All of these can easily be answered by an experienced and seasoned real estate professional.

Of course, any licensed real estate agent can list and sell property on the MLS in the state in which they are licensed, but that doesn’t mean that they will sell the home effectively or for a profit. Nothing beats experience. I know this from experience… Because you can take every real estate class in the book and still not have the knowledge that experience will give you.

Tailoring a Plan for You

Every single real estate transaction is different and there are so many parties involved from buyers to sellers, escrow and lenders, appraisers and inspectors that having the knowledge and the experience to keep everyone on task and close on time is really worth its weight in gold. Because I have dealt with many other buyers agents, I know the drawbacks to an unseasoned agent. I get it, everyone has to start somewhere, but that doesn’t mean that you have to. If you’re looking to sell your property and you want the most profit possible, it takes a seasoned and experienced agent that understands the Clermont real estate market and surrounding communities as well as the micro-markets of individual neighborhoods.

If you’re looking for someone that’s knowledgeable, friendly, and professional then Beth is definitely the agent to go with! She’s reputable, and really knows what she’s talking about. We knew nothing about the area before Beth. She showed us the area, and took the time to patiently show us home to home to home until we found “The One”! I’ll never forget riding around through the backroads following her and falling completely in love! We would not have been able to find our little sanctuary without her. We LOVE the area we now live in, the community, and most importantly our home. We highly recommend you put your trust in Beth. You won’t be disappointed!“

Whether you are buying or selling, understanding the market is crucial. When selling a property in has to be priced correctly from the start. If you don’t, the home will likely sit on the market far longer than it needs to. If you underpriced the property it may sell to quickly and you might actually lose money. Buying and selling takes an experienced real estate agent to negotiate for your terms and your price.