Curb Appeal

It happens. I will be out with a Buyer and as we pull in front of a house, they will say "I don't like the look of this place - I don't want to go in". Well, aside from the fact that the appointment is booked, the Seller has gone to the trouble of tidying up and leaving for an hour, and our next appointment is not for another 30 minutes, I now have the challenge of trying to convince someone that this property may actually look a lot better on the inside than on the outside. So let's go inside and take a quick peek anyway. We'll probably be surprised!

This all leads up to Curb Appeal. If you are selling your home, it is critical to your sale that a Buyer's first impression of your property is a great one! Statistics say that the Buyer will have his/her mind made up in as little as the first 30 seconds.

Aside from the obvious such as pulling weeds from the interlock, removing the snow and ice in the winter and turning on the outside lights, there are also other things that can be done to increase your curb appeal.

Trim back overgrown hedges and trees so that people can actually see the house. Display your house number, clean the lights, clean or install a new letter box and put out a fresh welcome mat.

During warmer weather, apply a fresh coat of paint to your front door (just don't paint over the hardware please), and if you have a storm door, make sure the screen is in top condition, clean the glass and oil the hinges so it doesn't squeek.

If you are selling in the winter months, a fresh wreath or seasonal urns and greens will go a long way to warm up the look.

Whatever the time of year, consider consulting your local florist or garden centre and ask them to put together something special to enhance your entry way.

Remember, you never get a second chance to make that first impression.

If you have any questions about the Kanata Real Estate market or any other area within the Ottawa Real Estate market, drop me a line at joannetibbles@royallepage.ca