Spring is approaching! It’s a great time of year to sell your house. When the weather starts warming up, buyers get serious about their search for their next home.
One of the first things that visitors to your home notice is how your home looks from the curb. If you want to sell your house fast, don’t forget to dedicate time to spruce up your curb appeal!
We put together this guide for increasing curb appeal this spring. Once you clean, landscape, and stage, your home will be winning over buyers before they even exit their cars!
First: Clean and Repair.
The most essential part of curb appeal is making sure everything is clean and in good repair. If things are dirty or broken, your potential buyers will assume the house has not been cared for. Here are the areas you should focus on:
- Walkways and driveways: Powerwash brick or concrete walkways and driveways. If your driveway is blacktop, you may want to reseal it.
- Windows: Clean windows, inside and out.
- Roof and gutters: Remove any debris in either area.
- Exterior walls and trim: Powerwash brick, aluminum, or vinyl. If you have wood siding, it’s possible to power wash properly but you can damage your siding if you aren’t careful.
- Fences: Power wash and add a fresh coat of paint if necessary.
- Deck: Powerwash and consider a new stain.
- Mailbox: Refresh with new paint or stain.
You might notice a common theme here–powerwash, powerwash, powerwash! Make sure you always choose the right pressure level for whatever you’re cleaning. If you want to sell your house fast, all the girt and grime will need to be removed.
Next: Landscape.
Now it’s time to take care of your landscaping.
- Trees and shrubs: Trim and shape trees and shrubs. Remove anything that’s dead or dangerous, such as a limb that could damage the house in a storm. If anything large needs to be removed, you may need to hire a professional.
- Lawn: Mow, trim, and edge your lawn regularly so it’s always looking sharp.
- Garden: Weed the garden beds thoroughly. Care for perennials and remove any that aren’t doing well. Enhance your beds with some bright annual flowers.
- Mulch: Put a fresh layer of mulch in garden beds and around trees. This makes your landscaping look fresh!
Make sure any new plants you add are suitable for their location with regards to how much sunlight they need daily. You can also add potted plants on your front porch or back deck.
Finally: Stage.
When you start having showings or open houses, you’ll want to have the exterior of your home properly staged. For a fast house sale, buyers need to be able to picture themselves living there. Don’t forget to:
- Put cars, bikes, and toys in the garage.
- Set up simple patio furniture if you don’t already have some.
- Consider adding a fresh coat of paint to the shutters and trim. An updated color makes a big difference!
- Make sure your address is visible, either with numbers on your home or your mailbox. Get new letters if yours are worn.
- Enhance walkways and the front door with new lighting.
- Decorate your front door with a spring wreath, new welcome mat, and maybe fresh paint.
- Put a high-quality “For Sale” sign in your yard.
- Hire a professional photographer so all your hard work is reflected in your listing.
If you follow these tips, your home’s curb appeal is sure to catch the eye of potential buyers driving by. You’ll be well on your way to a quick sale this spring!
Work with MarketPro Homebuyers.
If you’d rather skip this prep work and not worry about curb appeal, there’s an easier way. At MarketPro Homebuyers we’ll give you a fast and fair cash offer for your current home just as it is now; no repairs, no inspection, no commissions or fees. You can even choose your exact closing date to coordinate perfectly with the purchase of your new home. Our team will walk you through your quote, including a review of what your home would likely bring on the open market.
If you’re in Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, or Pennsylvania, we’d love to show you how easy and stress-free the sales process can be. Contact us today for a same-day, no-pressure quote.