7 Curb Appeal Blunders That Can Curtail the Sale of Your Home Sale
Impressions speak volumes when it comes to impressing prospective home buyers.
That’s why it’s absolutely crucial that you present your home in such a way that it attracts buyers, rather than repel them. And curb appeal is probably the first component you should address. After all, it’s the exterior lead-up to the home that buyers will first interact with.
Make sure you’re not guilty of the following 7 curb appeal mistakes that could throw a wrench in your home selling efforts.
1. Cracked Hardscaping
A big part of a home’s curb appeal is its hardscaping – namely, the concrete, brick, and natural stone that’s used for driveways, walkways, and patios. Any cracks and crevices in the hardscaping can make your home look tired and run-down, which will have a negative impact on your home’s overall curb appeal.
2. Tired Front Door
The landscaping up to your front entryway might be fabulous, but if it all leads to a tired old door with peeling paint and a rusty door handle, your whole curb appeal can be thrown out of whack. Experts agree that a new front door or even just a simple paint job is an investment that will garner a big return on investment.
A front door in good shape will give the home that cheerful look and feeling that buyers want and expect. And don’t forget about the garage doors – they can have just as big an impact as your front door.
3. Outdated Light Fixtures
The condition of the front door might be very important to a home’s curb appeal, but the light fixtures play a key role too. Buyers won’t exactly get that warm, fuzzy feeling when they approach a front door only to be greeted by rickety, rusty light fixtures and dim, flickering lights. If the fixtures at your front entrance are less than inviting, be sure to change them before your first prospective buyer visits.
4. Wild Weeds
Not only are overgrown weeds scattered about the lawn highly unsightly, they also cause damage to the grass and flowers because they take valuable food and water away from them. Weeds can also wreak havoc on the hardscaping by flooding into cracks and crevices.
If your front lawn is loaded with weeds, you need to eliminate them right away before they completely take over. Your best bet is to nip the growth of weeds in the bud by spreading pre-emergent before the seeds of weeds are even given a chance to germinate. After that, some good old-fashioned elbow grease might be necessary to pluck those pesky weeds from your lawn.
5. Dying Greenery
Your lawn may be wonderfully covered in all levels of bushes, trees and shrubs, but even just one dying or dead bush can make your entire landscaping look tired and unkempt.
Any dead parts of the landscaping should be pruned or eliminated altogether. If they haven’t been infested with insects, you can always use them as compost instead of throwing them in the trash.
6. Cluttered Entryway
Your property should never be allowed to have clutter accumulate, especially when it’s listed for sale. At no point should piles of shoes, mail, newspapers, toys, or lawn furniture be cluttered around your front entrance, let alone anywhere else on your property. Set your home up for a good impression and get rid of the clutter.
7. Off-the-Wall Exterior Colors
Prospective buyers aren’t typically expecting to see bright, quirky colors on the exterior of homes they visit. That’s why professional home stagers generally suggest that sellers keep the color palette of their listed homes as neutral as possible to appeal to a larger pool of buyers.
Bold, vibrant colors might be your thing, but they might necessarily be what most buyers want. If your home is an off-the-wall color, consider repainting it in a neutral tone, such as off-white, beige, or light gray.
Before you list your home for sale, have a close look at its curb appeal. If you notice any elements that compromise the look and feel of your home, make sure to deal with them before the first buyer schedules a visit.
