David G. Brown - HOW TO REDUCE YOUR RISK IN REAL ESTATE INVESTING

of paint on your home’s exterior. If you have a stone or vinyl exterior, power-wash it. You’ll be amazed by how much better your home will look.

MAINTAIN HARDSCAP ARDSCAPES

Time to scrub-a-dub-dub your pathways, driveways, retaining walls, stoops, and statuary. Power-washing is a fast and easy way to remove years of moss and mold. Flagstone cleans up nicely with a little scrubbing. (Consider sealing it after washing to give it extra shine.) Also make sure birdbaths and fountains are clean and bubbling.

GREEN UP THE LAWN

If you can choose when you put your home on the market, wait until late spring when your lawn will have awakened and greened up. You may have to aerate and reseed the autumn before or in early spring to help your lawn become its most lush.

PLAN AHEAD

This one depends on your timeframe, but, if possible, a little advance planning will go a long way toward enhancing curb appeal. If you plan to put your house on the market in spring, plant flowering bulbs like daffodils and tulips during the fall before. If you try to sell in summer, in spring, plant perennials like black- eyed Susans, which will bloom throughout the warm months. Some ornamental grasses, which you can plant in spring, will maintain foliage and colorful stems in winter, adding a color pop during bleak months.

So now you know how to make your flip or rental pop, both

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