The Importance Of Curb Appeal

THE IMPORTANCE OF CURB APPEAL Underestimating the importance of curb appeal to the perceived value of a home is a big mistake many homeowners make. CURB APPEAL DO'S INVEST IN SOME COOL HOUSE NUMBERS WASH YOUR HOUSE'S FACE ROOF AND CHIMNEY GUTTERS WINDOWS AND TRIM Shingles should be intact with none missing and mortar between the bricks should be You should repair Switch out those tired old If the paint on the trim or windows is peeling, scrape and paint. Replace any Washing a house can add $10,000 to and clean gutters. digits and give your Nothing says "poor maintenance" like secure. Although expensive to replace, a roof or chimney in disrepair often discourages potential homebuyers. address a makeover $15,000 to the sale (about $12 to $20 per number). broken glass and clean the windows inside and out. prices of some houses. weeds in a gutter. 225 REALTY Ho SOLD e REPLACE LIGHT LANDSCAPING UPGRADE THE FRONT DOOR UPGRADE THE MAILBOX CARPET FIXTURES A well-designed landscape can A new front door greatly Wobbly, dented mailboxes are unsightly. Changing the box is a great way to add personality. Installation of a bold door-side A $4,000 to $5,000 Strategically placed lighting always goes a long way. It highlights lovely landscaping and all the other wonderful things you've done to your home. increases its resale value. investment in new add 7 to 14 percent to your home's value. A recent study by Therma-Tru found that it can increase the carpet may make a $10,000 difference in the sales price." mailbox (about $50). A good- looking, durable freestanding mailbox ($40 to $50) value of a $190,000 home by $8,000. At $2,000 that's 3x the value! QUICK GARDENING TIPS FOR FREE, YOU CAN... FREE V Clean up existing plant beds by removing weeds and overgrown plants. V Prune shrubs -- but not into an unnatural ball or square shape. V Trim tree branches that hang too low and create hazards. FOR $100, YOU CAN.. Create a welcoming entrance with one or two big pots filled with colorful plants. $100 Make a significant impact on your landscape with a few 5-gallon trees for about $35 each, if you plan to stay in your home for at least five years. Buy seeds, such as a mix of wildflowers, and cover much more ground than $100 worth of plants. FOR $500, YOU CAN.. $500 Invest in a couple of great architectural pots that make a statement at your entrance. Add rounded boxwoods or a seasonal planting of ornamental grasses and colorful annuals. Add a bench or garden ornament, such as a trellis or birdbath, to a key spot or a nice mailbox and with some plantings at the base. Spruce up your foundation plantings with a border of long-blooming perennials. Pay someone to professionally prune or selectively remove (and replace) overgrown bushes. CURB APPEAL MISTAKES DONT'S IMPROPER PAINT COLORS Opt for neutral colors - gray, black, white and beige - rather than colors that are too personal or extreme - like pink, purple or bright yellow. CLUTTERED DRIVEWAY A car parked in the driveway tells potential buyers that the house n't enough to store everything. It's also distracting in online pictures. FOR SALE DEAD ON ARRIVAL Gardens may not look great out of season, but you can spruce them up by getting rid of dead leaves and plants. UPKEEP NIGHTMARE PERSONAL POSSESSIONS Your dream garden may be Religious decor, lawn ornaments, kids' toys scattered around or even piled up in a corner are a huge no-no. Instead of being unique, it comes off as an eyesore. a buyer's nightmare. Talk to your real estate agent NASTY NEIGHBORS about how to make that tovely landscape appear to Homes, like people, are often judged by the company they keep. A less- than-tidy next-door neighbor or an adjacent vacant home lacking in the lawn care department can have a negative effect on a potential homebuyer. be low-maintenance. Sources: www.bhg.com/home-improvement/exteriors/curb-appeal/boost-curb-appeal/ www.diylife.com/2010/05/18/boost-curb-appeal-8-great-tricks-under-50/ www.diylife.com/2010/05/18/boost-curb-appeal-8-great-tricks-under-50/ www.houselogic.com/home-advice/home-improvement/adding-curb-appeal-value-to-home/2/ www.greatlakesre.com/curb-appeal.htm www.forbes.com/2003/05/23/cx bs_0523home.html www.angieslist.com/articles/ask-angie-home-improvement-projects- www.kiplinger.com/columns/kiptips/archives/10-cheap-ways-to-improve-curb-appeal.html www.frontdoor.com/sell/7-curb-appeal-mistakes-to-avoid/pictures/pg276 wwW.DOOREMPORIUM.COM DOOR oREMPORIUM Produced by www.optimaltargeting.com THE IMPORTANCE OF CURB APPEAL Underestimating the importance of curb appeal to the perceived value of a home is a big mistake many homeowners make. CURB APPEAL DO'S INVEST IN SOME COOL HOUSE NUMBERS WASH YOUR HOUSE'S FACE ROOF AND CHIMNEY GUTTERS WINDOWS AND TRIM Shingles should be intact with none missing and mortar between the bricks should be You should repair Switch out those tired old If the paint on the trim or windows is peeling, scrape and paint. Replace any Washing a house can add $10,000 to and clean gutters. digits and give your Nothing says "poor maintenance" like secure. Although expensive to replace, a roof or chimney in disrepair often discourages potential homebuyers. address a makeover $15,000 to the sale (about $12 to $20 per number). broken glass and clean the windows inside and out. prices of some houses. weeds in a gutter. 225 REALTY Ho SOLD e REPLACE LIGHT LANDSCAPING UPGRADE THE FRONT DOOR UPGRADE THE MAILBOX CARPET FIXTURES A well-designed landscape can A new front door greatly Wobbly, dented mailboxes are unsightly. Changing the box is a great way to add personality. Installation of a bold door-side A $4,000 to $5,000 Strategically placed lighting always goes a long way. It highlights lovely landscaping and all the other wonderful things you've done to your home. increases its resale value. investment in new add 7 to 14 percent to your home's value. A recent study by Therma-Tru found that it can increase the carpet may make a $10,000 difference in the sales price." mailbox (about $50). A good- looking, durable freestanding mailbox ($40 to $50) value of a $190,000 home by $8,000. At $2,000 that's 3x the value! QUICK GARDENING TIPS FOR FREE, YOU CAN... FREE V Clean up existing plant beds by removing weeds and overgrown plants. V Prune shrubs -- but not into an unnatural ball or square shape. V Trim tree branches that hang too low and create hazards. FOR $100, YOU CAN.. Create a welcoming entrance with one or two big pots filled with colorful plants. $100 Make a significant impact on your landscape with a few 5-gallon trees for about $35 each, if you plan to stay in your home for at least five years. Buy seeds, such as a mix of wildflowers, and cover much more ground than $100 worth of plants. FOR $500, YOU CAN.. $500 Invest in a couple of great architectural pots that make a statement at your entrance. Add rounded boxwoods or a seasonal planting of ornamental grasses and colorful annuals. Add a bench or garden ornament, such as a trellis or birdbath, to a key spot or a nice mailbox and with some plantings at the base. Spruce up your foundation plantings with a border of long-blooming perennials. Pay someone to professionally prune or selectively remove (and replace) overgrown bushes. CURB APPEAL MISTAKES DONT'S IMPROPER PAINT COLORS Opt for neutral colors - gray, black, white and beige - rather than colors that are too personal or extreme - like pink, purple or bright yellow. CLUTTERED DRIVEWAY A car parked in the driveway tells potential buyers that the house n't enough to store everything. It's also distracting in online pictures. FOR SALE DEAD ON ARRIVAL Gardens may not look great out of season, but you can spruce them up by getting rid of dead leaves and plants. UPKEEP NIGHTMARE PERSONAL POSSESSIONS Your dream garden may be Religious decor, lawn ornaments, kids' toys scattered around or even piled up in a corner are a huge no-no. Instead of being unique, it comes off as an eyesore. a buyer's nightmare. Talk to your real estate agent NASTY NEIGHBORS about how to make that tovely landscape appear to Homes, like people, are often judged by the company they keep. A less- than-tidy next-door neighbor or an adjacent vacant home lacking in the lawn care department can have a negative effect on a potential homebuyer. be low-maintenance. Sources: www.bhg.com/home-improvement/exteriors/curb-appeal/boost-curb-appeal/ www.diylife.com/2010/05/18/boost-curb-appeal-8-great-tricks-under-50/ www.diylife.com/2010/05/18/boost-curb-appeal-8-great-tricks-under-50/ www.houselogic.com/home-advice/home-improvement/adding-curb-appeal-value-to-home/2/ www.greatlakesre.com/curb-appeal.htm www.forbes.com/2003/05/23/cx bs_0523home.html www.angieslist.com/articles/ask-angie-home-improvement-projects- www.kiplinger.com/columns/kiptips/archives/10-cheap-ways-to-improve-curb-appeal.html www.frontdoor.com/sell/7-curb-appeal-mistakes-to-avoid/pictures/pg276 wwW.DOOREMPORIUM.COM DOOR oREMPORIUM Produced by www.optimaltargeting.com