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There are many ways you can make your house attractive to prospective buyers. Curb appeal goes a long way when it comes to first impressions. Your yard is one indication of the amount of time you’ve spent caring for your property in general. Buyers are undoubtedly attracted to homes that have been properly maintained so if you plan to sell your property, don’t neglect your landscaping. Just like washing the dishes and vacuuming floors positively impacts the look of your interior spaces, regular yard maintenance will do the same for your exterior spaces. 

The following tips can help give you a good head start:

• Plan to mow your lawn at least once a week. Use a weed wacker or edger to clean up around fences or play yards where your lawnmower might not reach. 

• Remove weeds, leaves and clippings from walkways and patios. After you mow the lawn, use a leaf blower or broom to remove lawn clippings from walkways. If you have a brick or stone pathway, pull the weeds that may grow between the pavers.

• Create clean edges between your grass and planting areas. You don’t need to install special materials to achieve this look. Use a straight-edge shovel to create or refresh an existing edge then add a fresh layer of mulch or stone to complete the transition.

• Overgrown plants can be hard for homebuyers to overlook. Neglected shrubs and bushes may block the view of your house, they may interfere with walkways, doors, or other plantings and often just look untidy. Invest in a pair of loppers or hand pruners that can handle the plantings on your property. If you are not familiar with how to approach trimming the shrubs or trees you have, be sure to do some research before you start cutting. A local nursery or landscaper can provide advice on how and during which season you should prune your plantings. 

A smart way to attract prospective buyers is to improve the landscaping around your home. Consult with your real estate agent for more ways to improve your curb appeal and for local landscaping resources.

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The infamous phrase - "the dress makes the man" translates to "the curb appeal makes the home" in the real estate world. Face it, the curb appeal of a house is the first thing home buyers see when they step into the property. And studies show that it takes a home buyer eight seconds in a property to make a decision. With that time-frame in mind, it is safe to conclude that most home buyers make their decisions from the exterior of the house. Therefore, investing in your home's curb appeal doesn't just increase your chances of attracting more buyers but also bolsters your chances of closing the deal.

However, curb appeal is not designed exclusively to sell a house. You could give your home a facelift to enjoy the beauty and admiration from your neighbors. The exterior of your home certainly deserves just as much attention as you pay to the interior, so here's a list of curb appeal ideas that fit perfectly into any budget.

1. Design the Exterior with Flowering Plants. It will amaze you how little efforts like planting hundreds of flowering plants can boost the appeal of your home. They spread a unique touch of beauty as they blossom in their different colors. Homebuyers cannot resist the natural beauty of well-placed plants.
2. Upgrade Old Hardware. As insignificant as you may think such things are, hardware plays a role or two in boosting the appeal of your home. A dingy mailbox, cheap door knockers, tarnished handles, or grubby peephole sends a negative message to potential buyers. Try replacing old hardware before listing your home.
3. Pay Attention to Colors. Color is a crucial part of your curb appeal. The exterior of your home should reflect the interior aesthetic taste. Pay attention to the colors while remodeling the outside. The color of the door could either invite them in or chase them off.
4. Make your House Number Unique. People tend to ignore their house numbers while giving their exterior a facelift. Each house number is unique, and it is one of the first things people see as they pass by or walk onto your property. Give it the unique touch it deserves. Design it to reflect your aesthetic taste.
5. Upgrade Lighting Fixtures. The lighting fixtures of a house wield power to make or mar the curb appeal. Which is why it is advisable to include lighting fixtures in your remodeling plan. Like jewelry, give your home a dramatic touch with the right accessories.
6. Add a Finishing Touch of Weather-Resistant Artwork. Nothing adds more appeal than weather-resistant artwork. Sculptures, birdbaths, and wind chimes will fit perfectly into any home décor.

If you're concerned about adding the most value to your curb appeal, talk with a property specialist in your neighborhood.

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When it comes to real estate, then the value of your house is everything. While some things that affect its value that you can't influence, such as the location or even the spending power of that market, there are a couple of things that you can take on to significantly raise the value of your home. If you are looking to sell your house sometime in the future, these are not such expensive things that you can start doing now, so that you can get a better deal whenever you are ready to sell.

1. Make It More Appealing: How does your home look from across the street? Are potential buyers going to want to take a second look? Invest in a fresh coat of paint to make it look appealing. Freshly painted homes have a way of looking attractive to the eye, and that's where the value comes in. You can also look at getting rid of old carpets and long-standing odors and allergens.
2. Do Some Landscaping: Plant bushes and shade trees around your premises if you can—they help make a place look more desirable, plus you can reduce cooling costs too. If trees look like too much work, get low maintenance shrubs and colorful plants around—make sure you ask for drought resistant ones so that you spend less on water and maintenance. You should also clean up your lawn and any other overgrown bushes you have around your property. If you can't spare the time, hire a lawn service company to do it.
3. Make It Bigger: It's pretty obvious, the bigger your house, the more valuable it is. You can add a room to it or build a top deck. Buyers always notice things like that. Square footage isn't all that matters, increase the visual footage too, so it looks bigger to the eye. Use blinds to allow light in, since a sunny room looks more substantial. Clear the clutter and all the old junk you don't need any longer too.
4. Make It More Energy Efficient: An energy efficient home will not only save you money now, but it will also make it more attractive to buyers in the future. Consider using air sealing and insulation improvements, or LED lighting and double-paned windows as they can make it check all the boxes for energy-conscious buyers.

If you’re not sure what will make the most impact on the value of your home, check with your local real estate specialist.

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When you first start creating the list of things you need to finish to get your home ready for sale, it can seem daunting. Too much work can throw you for a loop, and you might be tempted to sell your home "as-is" instead. However, just adding a bit of curb appeal can significantly increase the value of the property. You can crack down on that list by starting with these quick and easy items can you do on a weekend by yourself for under a hundred dollars.

Street Address Numbers

One of the easiest and least expensive curb appeal upgrades are new house numbers. You want buyers driving by to see the address easily, so go for clean large numerals that are easily visible on the side of your property. You can get brass or chrome numbers for a shiny effect, or you can get wooden numbers and paint them in the color of your choice. 

Front Door and Shutters

A new front door can give your entryway a sense of welcome. You can go for a new entry entirely to improve on the existing style of your home, or you can just try out a new paint job. If you have shutters, you can refresh the paint on those as well. Check with your local paint specialist to find out what kind of paint works best. Make sure you double-check the material your door is made of before you start, or you could end up with just a peeling mess on your hands. For the best look, make sure you tape off any windows and fixtures and then clean up any remaining paint after its all dry. 

Outdoor Lighting

You don't need to replace your outdoor lights to make a difference, but you do need to give them a good shine. Take them all apart and remove the dust and bugs that build up under the glass. Switch out your light bulbs for brand new LEDs that will be brighter and better for your electrical bill. If you want to make some changes, outdoor lighting can be purchased and hung yourself for relatively cheap at your local lighting or home improvement store. If you're going to install new light fixtures, be sure to turn off the electricity at the breaker box before you start.

Landscaping

Get your whole family together for this one and start by picking any weeds and removing any dead leaves, branches, and other plant matter. Your kids may want to claim some of it for leaf-jumping piles, but make sure to clean up those piles after they have their fun. Clean up your lawn or replace a dried-out lawn with an alternate material such as mulch that is easier to take care of regularly.

Talk to your real estate agent about the best curb appeal upgrades for your home, so that you spend your money in the right place.

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Curb appeal is a difference-maker during the home selling process. If you understand how to upgrade your residence's curb appeal, you may be better equipped than ever before to enjoy a fast, profitable house selling experience.

Now, let's take a look at three tips to help you improve your house's curb appeal.

1. Prioritize Lawn Care and Maintenance

If your lawn is covered in weeds and high grass, it may be overdue for a trim. Fortunately, you can mow the lawn, trim the hedges and perform assorted home lawn care and maintenance tasks to upgrade your residence's curb appeal in no time at all.

Of course, if you want expert lawn care assistance, you can always hire a home landscaping company. A typical home landscaping company employs friendly, knowledgeable lawn care specialists who can help you improve your lawn and bolster your house's curb appeal.

2. Eliminate Clutter

Lawn decorations may help you differentiate your home from others in your neighborhood. At the same time, these decorations may actually diminish the appearance of your home in the eyes of potential buyers. Also, lawn decorations may make it tough for buyers to envision what life may be like if they purchase your residence.

Remove lawn decorations, because if you have a clutter-free lawn, you can show buyers the true size and beauty of your lawn. And as a result, buyers may fall in love with your residence as soon as they see it.

3. Perform Home Exterior Repairs

If you notice cracked or chipped siding or other home exterior issues, don't wait to correct these problems. Because the longer you wait to perform home exterior repairs, the longer it may take to sell your residence.

For those who are uncomfortable about completing home exterior repairs on their own, it may be beneficial to hire a contractor. This professional will dedicate the necessary time and resources to ensure your home's exterior will impress buyers.

As you search for ways to improve your house's curb appeal, you may want to hire a real estate agent as well. In addition to offering recommendations about how to bolster your home's overall appearance, a real estate agent can serve as an expert guide along the property selling journey.

A real estate agent is happy to help you list your house, promote it to prospective buyers and host home showings and open house events. Plus, if you receive an offer to purchase your residence, a real estate agent can provide recommendations about whether to accept, reject or counter this proposal. A real estate agent will even negotiate with a buyer's agent on your behalf so you can maximize your house sale earnings.

Spend some time upgrading your residence's curb appeal – you'll be glad you did. If you can improve your home's curb appeal, you may be able to stir up lots of interest in your residence and reap the benefits of a quick, seamless house selling experience.

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