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 are unlikely to be attracted to a home with dead shrubbery and a weather-worn exterior. It is no stretch to think a buyer will believe the home is neglected on the inside as well. Look at your home as a prospect would. Drive up to the curb and take inventory of everything that needs attention. Low-cost investments like power washing the house and concrete, repainting trim, and adding landscaping give your house more curb appeal. Simple improvements like weeding, trimming, and window washing can improve the appearance of a home with little to no expense. Repairing and repainting your home can cost more money, but often those upgrades are an investment that is returned in the eventual sales price of your home. Remember, clean goes a long way . If your landscaping is over- grown and unruly, simply pruning back bushes, trimming trees up, pulling weeds and spreading fresh mulch or stones can be a huge transformation. Sometimes sellers are hesitant to remove excessively overgrown bushes. Keeping out-of-control items in place suggests to buyers that there has been years of neglect. If you are wondering if something should be removed, in most cases, the default is "yes". See the following example. The owner asked me if the bushes should stay or go. What do you think?
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