As a Buyer’s Agent in Orange Park Florida I happen to see a lot of homes for sale showing buyers and previewing properties on a regular basis.  I think it’s important to note how much of an impression is made when buyers drive up to the home and see it for the first time.  A lot of opinions are formed within the first few seconds of seeing the outside of a house.   If more sellers only new that the curb appeal (or lack thereof) of a  home can either draw people in or completely scare them away, I think we’d have a larger number of attractive homes on the streets of America today.

Here are a few tips for upping the curb appeal whether you’re thinking about selling or just want to improve the outside look of your place.

1)       Less is more.  I know there is a lot of fun, cute “yard decorations” that you can buy at just about any store today but folks, if you MUST have some outdoor decoration, just keep it to a minimum….one or two fixtures at the most.  Clutter is just about as attractive and appealing on the outside as it is on the inside.

2)      De-weed.  Let’s just make this clear…NO, weeds are not the same as flowers, even if there IS a bloom on the end.  Just pull ‘em out and clean it up.  Weeds are about as attractive in your lawn as two inches of dust is on your TV.  You’ll be amazed at how much this cleans up the overall look of the property.

3)      Trim your bushes and prune the trees in your yard.  Remove any that are dead or sickly.  Buyers don’t like being greeted with deferred maintenance.

4)      Mow the lawn.  Do I really need to go into this?  If you can’t mow your lawn, then you MUST not have time to take care of the REST of the house either.  Serious RED FLAG for buyers!

5)      Add a little color.  I’m not saying you need to completely re-landscape the yard.  A few pots on the porch or by the front door with some pretty annuals can go a long way, for a cheap price.

Nothing I mentioned is going to cost you an arm and leg (barring no large tree removal), just some sweat equity and elbow grease.  A weekend of yard work and time with Mother Nature can mean a lot more green in your wallet.

Jessica Touchton-Buyer’s Agent w/ The Landry Team Keller Williams Realty (904) 534-8416