You may have heard phrases like “Don’t judge a book by its cover” or “It’s what is on the inside that counts” hundreds of times, but they are not always true when it comes to selling a home. Yes, the interior of the home is especially important, but when a prospective home buyer is looking for a home, first impressions matter. Not only is a prospective home buyer looking for an interior that suits their needs, but they are also interested in the curb appeal of the home for sale. A prospective home buyer may not even walk in your home if they do not like the outside.
Why is curb appeal important?
Curb appeal gives a homebuyer their first impression of what to expect when entering a property. The look of the home’s exterior is a good indicator of what is on the inside, and helps set the buyer’s expectations and mood when entering the home. At the very least, the exterior look of the home may decide if the home buyer even wants to look inside. When looking at listings, like those on Anacortes Real Estate Guide, the first image is usually of the exterior of the home. Even subconsciously, prospective home buyers may judge the home based on this first image or while driving by the house for sale.
What does curb appeal entail?
So what does “curb appeal” mean? Imagine you are driving by the property and viewing it from the street. In the simplest explanation, the curb appeal of the home is how attractive it is from a street view. This means that everything looks vibrant and in place – there are colorful spots in the yard and the home is well-maintained.
How to easily improve curb appeal of your home
The good news is that is can be extremely easy to enhance the curb appeal of a home! And it may not be as expensive as you might think. One of the simplest ways to improve curb appeal is through landscaping. Regardless of the time of year, some simple landscaping can help boost the exterior appearance of your home.
If you are not interested in a large landscaping project, there are companies who will do it for you. Companies can complete “landscape imaging,” which includes photographing your property from a satellite and mocking up “before” and “after” ideas of landscaping based on your budget, ideas and even the time of year. Such technology not only helps you to see exactly what it will look like, but also provides an exact budget for what everything will cost. Landscape imaging companies already have the current prices of everything—from bulk fieldstone to a tiny geranium—programmed into their systems.
If you are interested in having a more hands-on approach to your landscaping to help improve curb appeal? Another option might be to work with a local landscaping company or nursery who might be more familiar with the soil and climate in your area, and can recommend foliage that works best for your area. We have some great nurseries here in Skagit County, and most have experts who can advise you on the best plants to increase your curb appeal. Sometimes, simple things can make a big difference, such as a crisp, clean edge between your lawn and planting area, power washing concrete or even a new mail box.
So don’t forget—books are judged by their covers and sometimes it is what is outside that counts.
Are you interested in selling your home? Wherever you are in the process, the team at the Grosebeck Group can help. Contact our team today to get the process started, or for additional advice on increasing the curb appeal of your home.