Suzanne Senst

What about "curb appeal"?

When you’re selling your home, first impressions are everything. A prospective buyer will decide in a single glance if they want to consider purchasing your home, or even step inside and take-a-look. Here are some concrete ways to improve first impressions:

• The yard should be clean and well-kept
• Do the eaves and trim have a crisp, clean appearance?
• How are the exterior paint and roof holding up?
• No matter what the season, ensure sidewalks, driveways and pathways are free of garden debris and litter.
• That goes for eaves and porches as well.
• Make your front windows sparkle, too.

• For the lawn, ensure that any edges are neatly trimmed and the area is relatively free of weeds.
• If new sod is required, plant it as soon as possible, since it will take a few weeks to blend in with the rest of the grass.
•  Add a splash of life to your porch or window boxes with colourful plants.
• In the winter, shrubs and trees look their best with old leaves and growth cleared away.

Let’s consider the outside of the house:

• If your trim, facia or siding is looking shabby, consider repainting it.
• Sometimes simply touching up the trim and facia is all it takes to brighten up your home’s exterior.
• Or, if your property has vinyl siding, bring on the powerwasher to whip it back into shape.

• Let’s consider how your home appears at night:
• Is your front yard still inviting in the dark?
• Are walkways well lit?
• It could be as simple as changing your front porch light fixture
• Or adding some solar-powered garden lights to give your yard some evening appeal.

• Polish up the doorknobs and dust off the welcome mat!
• One thing that a lot of homeowners overlook is the placement of their house number. Can you see it from the street? If not, consider relocating it or, better still, purchase some striking new numbers to identify your home. 
• Do you feel welcome? Make any adjustments if necessary.