Rehabbers look for ugly houses so that they can pay the least amount possible. Homebuyers are looking for a deal, but still don't want an unattractive home. Creating curb appeal is essential to attracting interest in your home. How your home looks from the road is so persuasive that a well-prepared house may catch the attention of buyers who didn't find the written description particularly compelling. Likewise, a neglected house can cause a buyer previously excited by the description to cruise right on by. Try this. Go out into your street and look—I mean REALLY look at your home, and see if you can spot any imperfections. Is it appealing, pristine, and well-kept... or are there necessary repairs that you have been putting off? After you’ve lived in a home for a long time, you’re not likely to examine it objectively. You've learned to walk past the cracked window or deal with the creaky stairs. Listen to suggestions from real estate experts, friends, and/or potential home buyers about how you can make your house show better. After that, take a drive around your neighborhood and the surrounding area, and see which homes for sale appeal to you and note why. Well-tended houses with trimmed bushes, groomed lawns, attractive landscaping, and a “grand entrance” (discussed shortly) will be more impressive than homes with an unkempt walkway, uncut grass, and a paint-peeling front door. The outside appearance of a property needs to be an invitation to come inside. Potential homebuyers are drawn to welcoming entries and uncluttered yards. They aren't likely to be attracted to a home with dead shrubbery and a weather-worn exterior. It isn't a stretch to think a buyer will believe the house is neglected on the inside as well.
Look at your home as a prospect would. Drive up to the curb
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