CHAPTER 6 Creating Curb Appeal b Appeal Curb Appeal — the aesthetic attractiveness of a property, as viewed from some distance by a prospective buyer Whether viewing an online photo or driving by your home, a home shopper will decide in a matter of seconds whether or not they want to see more. First impressions are powerful, and, as they say, you don’t ever get a second chance to make a first impression, so creating curb appeal is crucial to generating interest in your home. Curb appeal is so powerful a selling tool that your well-prepared house may even catch the attention of buyers who weren’t attracted by the written description of your home. Conduct an experiment. Take a drive around your neighborhood and the surrounding area to see what homes appeal to you. Homes with clean yards and groomed lawns will be more impressive than homes with cracked paint, loose shutters, uncut grass, and weed overgrowth. The outside appearance of your property should serve as an invitation to come inside. Potential home buyers are drawn to welcoming entries and uncluttered yards. Would you be attracted to a home with dead shrubbery and a weather-worn exterior? You may assume that the home is neglected on the inside, as well as the outside. Similar to buying a vehicle, if it is dirty on the exterior, smells inside and is littered with personal items or trash, chances are the buyer will believe it has been neglected, or at the very least, not maintained diligently. Herein lies the importance of curb appeal. I have several strategies I employ to ensure buyers will feel as if they can make an offer with confidence on my listings. I always stress being proactive when listing a home--this means having major systems 40
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