Preparing Your House for the Market: Part II

If you’re selling your home, its “curb appeal” is essential. Imagine that you are seeing the property as a potential buyer. What do you expect or want to see as a buyer? Below are several key tips for getting the outside of your home in perfect selling condition:

Tip 1: Clean your driveway
First impressions are always critical, and your driveway is one of the first things a buyer will see. Make sure it’s swept clean and free of oil stains before showing your house.

Tip 2: Replace the garage door
The garage door is one of the largest, most visible elements of a home. If you want to instantly enhance the overall look of your home’s exterior and increase its value, replace your garage door before listing your house. After all, what’s the use of a clean, organized garage if the door itself is warped, cracked, broken or in need of painting?

Tip 3: Paint the front door and entryway
A fresh coat of paint will always help sell the house faster, but if you can’t afford it, try this instead: paint the front door and, if needed, the entry area around the front door. If you don’t have any matching paint around to use, see if there is a plate fixture or some other item you can remove. Then take a chip of that to the paint store to obtain a paint color that matches

Tip 4: Freshen up the yard
An empty yard sells better than an overgrown yard, probably because an empty yard looks larger. When trimming back your shrubbery and trees as you’re getting ready to sell your house, don’t be timid. Trees and shrubbery should not hide the house itself. Again, less is more.

You may also consider replacing any dead flowers or plants with new ones. If your plants are fine and not in need of being replaced, consider planting seasonal flowers to brighten it up and add a pleasant smell, especially for spring or summer months. Potted flowers and plants are also a great addition to the inside of your house.

Additionally, use your sprinklers as much as possible to ensure everything in your yard is green. Turn on your sprinklers’ manual start button whenever a realtor is bringing a potential buyer to view the home. Newly watered landscaping has a fresh, clean scent and a shimmer that makes it look much better than when it’s dry. By leaving them on, you can also discourage any backyard exploring in the event you have unsightly areas there.

Tip 5: Clean the pool
For homeowners with pools, it should look like you’re ready to throw a pool party, even if it’s the dead of winter. You want to be sure to remind the buyer of how much fun a pool really is. This means a clean, uncovered pool with all of the furniture out and looking its best.

Tip 6: Park down the street
Extra parking outside your house will give your property a spacious appearance. Park cars down the street so the realtor has the most convenient parking. Also, be sure to remove children’s toys, garbage cans or any other unnecessary items from your front yard. All the buyer should see is a well-groomed property.

Always remember that you can’t change a first impression. If your house is a diamond in the rough, think about putting a small investment towards cleaning up the outward appearance.

For tips on the interior of your house, be sure to read Part One, published on May 18, 2010.

With more than 23 years of mortgage and real estate experience, Billy Woolridge manages Embrace Home Loans’ Lynchburg, Va. branch, located at 103A Paulette Circle.

Founded in 1983, Embrace Home Loans is a direct lender for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and, approved by HUD to make FHA insured loans, approved for VA, and an issuer for Ginnie Mae. Embrace Home Loans has remained a prominent leader in the industry, having helped hundreds of thousands of individuals and their families purchase new homes, lower their monthly payments and consolidate high-interest debt since its inception.

For more information, please visit http://www.embracehomeloans.com.