Apartment Living: Finding the Right Place to Call Home

Many homebuyers decide which homes they plan to tour by searching online listings. Once they reach the home though, if the curb appeal is low, they could be tempted to keep driving. If you are planning to sell your home, you need to understand the importance of curb appeal and how you can avoid mistakes that could sink your sale.

Why Is Curb Appeal a Factor?

The appearance of your home's exterior and the lawn is the basis of potential buyers' first impression. Fairly or unfairly, curb appeal is often considered an indication of the condition of a home. If the exterior and lawn are in disrepair, buyers might believe that the home is too.

Buyers also will factor in the costs of bringing the lawn and exterior up to par. No matter what is inside of the home, if the cost of making the home's exterior more attractive is too much, buyers could pass on buying your home.

In addition to all of this, curb appeal can help your home stand out. Your home is not the only one that buyers are considering. If it comes down to a home that is like yours that has far better curb appeal, you could lose out.

Curb appeal can help justify the listing price of your home. If the curb appeal is bad, buyers could find it hard to make an offer at the listing price. However, good curb appeal could mean better offers on your home.

What Mistakes Should Be Avoided?

There are several missteps you could make with the curb appeal that could have a negative impact on your ability to sell your home. For instance, going overboard with one color can work against your home's appeal. Ideally, you should use a mix of flowers with differing colors and blooming periods. You want to be sure that no matter the time of year that your lawn looks bright and exciting.

You should also take an honest assessment of your home's exterior. If the siding is faded or there is rotted wood, now is the time to update the siding or make repairs and paint the wood.

Your real estate agent likely had you declutter the interior of your home to make it appear larger to buyers. The same logic applies outdoors. Clutter, such as broken-down cars and old equipment, makes your home look like an old junkyard. If you plan to have any of the items removed, find another location to store them while selling your home.