Don’t Ignore the Exterior if You are Selling Your Home

There is plenty that goes into a successful home sale. It is not enough to list your home and wait for people to pour in. Even if hot markets, you need your property to stand out. This means the exterior must be perfect.

First impressions matter much more than you may think when it comes to buyers. Something as innocent as a broken shutter or dirty siding can give buyers a bad first impression they will carry with them throughout the showing. Instead of being wowed with the interior all they will remember is how they felt walking in. It is not a stretch to say that the interior is just as important as anything you will do to the inside of your property. Here are four exterior items you must consider if you are selling your home.

1. Physical exterior. The first impression of your home could be several items. It could be an overgrown bush in the front yard or a broken light by the front door. Potential buyers will notice every square inch of the property. The first exterior item you should focus on is the actual property. Whether you have siding or wood shingles they must be cleaned and updated. You would be doing yourself a disservice if you didn’t power wash the dirty siding. It would be like selling a car without washing it. Sure, buyers can see past the dirt, but it makes them think that there is more to the story. The same is the case with older shingles. If there is peeling paint you should touch them up prior to listing. Both items won’t break the bank, but they have a huge impact on the first impression.
2. Landscaping. Regardless of the size of your yard it is essential that the landscaping is updated. There are many items that make up the landscaping of a yard. Start with a look of the grass. It doesn’t necessarily need to look like Augusta, but it shouldn’t have brown or burnt spots either. With some seed and some water your lawn can look good as new in just a few weeks. Next, look at the bushes, plants, flowers and trees. If they are overgrown or dying you need to trim or replace them. A dying bush by the front door can be an instant turn off. Finally, look at the mulch and consider freshening it up if you are using last years batch. As is the case with the siding, these updates won’t break the bank but are crucial for a positive first impression.
3. Lighting. You never know when someone is going to drive by the property. It is easy to dismiss the exterior lights, but they often have a huge impact. A potential buyer that drives past the property at night may be turned off if the lighting is poor. Not only should the lighting be functional, but it needs to be well placed. If there are motion lights, make sure they are working. Getting up on a ladder and changing the lights may not be ideal, but it is something that must be done.
4. Walkway entrance. You have probably walked in your home enough times that you are immune to everything you see. However, potential buyers will scour all the surroundings as they enter the home for the first time. It is important to ask someone you trust to tell you what they notice as they enter the home. It could be the weeds in the cracks of the walkway or the outdated welcome mat. It could be rusty hand railing or the broken blinds they see in a bedroom window. The walkway entrance is the literal final impression a buyer has prior to entering. Make sure there is nothing that can leave a bad taste in their mouths.

The exterior can have just as much of an impact on anything in the inside of your home. Don’t dismiss the importance and remember to focus on these four important items.