Five Ways to Keep Up with the Joneses Where First Impressions are Concerned
Yes, the old saying about keeping up with the Joneses is not always frowned upon – especially when it comes to curb appeal when selling your Charlotte home! Another old saying, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression” is also applicable when it comes to curb appeal!
How your home looks from the street is an essential part of being successful in the sale of your home. It’s also where comparison with your neighbors’ homes is inescapable – which can pose a problem if you neighbor’s home is for sale and their yard always had that ‘Yard of the Month’ sign in the front yard – even in the winter!
Here are five ways to keep up with the Joneses by boosting your home’s curb appeal and making a lasting first impression.
BE CRITICAL
Because most of us use the garage door to enter our home, we rarely take a critical look at the front of our homes. This is probably the most essential step in creating effective curb appeal that out-does the Joneses! You may even want to consider getting another person involved in being critical – sometimes it’s difficult for us to ‘notice’ issues that really could make or break getting a buyer into our homes.
Balance | Symmetry
I had a conversation with a previous client the other day about symmetry – it is something that jumps out at her with every photo she sees of homes online! Not only is a symmetrical design visually appealing, it’s something that will cause a buyer to skip right over your home when viewing online – or seeing in person. If your home doesn’t allow for large symmetrical designs because of its structure , focus in on specific elements such as tree-plantings or light fixtures that you can use for balance. Consider the front door fixtures as well. Sometimes just a little balance will make all of the difference.
Garage Doors that POP!
If you have a front or side-load garage, you know that the external façade is taken up largely by the garage door(s). Garage doors have a large influence on how people see your home – for the first time. If your garage door is in need of paint or repair, replacement doors to suit your home, can make or break the sale of your home. If the door is fine but, just needs a touch-up, paint or touch-up to make that door POP!
Outdoor Living Spaces
A great way to attract buyers is to put yourself in your buyers’ shoes. Think about what is appealing to you about outdoor spaces and arrange an aesthetically pleasing seating area outside your home. Front porches make a powerful statement and the sentiments of them are quite impactful at first sight. This welcoming space offers buyers the chance to sit down and dream about owning your home! A clear and attractive walkway is also very inviting, so be sure to spruce yours up or install a whole new one to, literally, lead buyers to your door. If you have a great one but, rarely use it because you access your home from the garage and rarely take the sidewalk, perhaps it just needs a good power-washing!
Accent By Manicuring
Are your shrubs looking a bit over-grown or scraggly? Put a little time or pay someone to do some trimming, moving, planting out front! Nothing screams that this home has been well-maintained than a perfectly manicured lawn! It shows buyers that the current owners have pride of ownership – making them WANT to walk through your front door to see the rest! If trees are hanging over the roof, touching the side of the house, have those trimmed as well. And, a pop of color can go miles with that first impression by way of a few potted, flowing annuals by the door or in the beds out front. Lastly, a new load of mulch or pine needles make your green shrubs really stand out even in the wintertime!
We’re here to help you look at your home objectively and provide a clear assessment of your home’s strengths and weaknesses. Be sure to give us a call to help you with your home’s first impression – we know how to keep up with the Jonses with regards to curb appeal and first impressions!
Thinking of selling? We’d love to help you list your Charlotte home for sale and give you some early advice during the planning stages as you prepare your home for sale. Give us a call at (704) 491-3310 or email CharlotteBroker@icloud.com.
© Debe Maxwell | The Maxwell House Group | CharlotteBroker@icloud.com | Five Ways to Keep Up with the Joneses Where First Impressions are Concerned
Your Charlotte Home Listing Expired without Selling?
Oh, my house is in perfect condition! I have annual maintenance done on everything ‘mechanical’ in my home and take care of any issues right away. I don’t NEED an inspection – it’s a waste of money!”
Oh, the joys of being completely blindsided by learning that there is moisture in your crawl space and the buyers are taking a hike as a result! The dreaded fungus word (mold) often creeps into the conversation when a seller is stunned to find that the buyers’ inspector found moisture and damage as a result of that moisture in the crawl space. Buyers often fear that the moisture remediation is just too costly for them to move forward.
