DOES YOUR HOME HAVE CURB APPEAL??

The sale of your home can depend a great deal on whether or not it has Curb Appeal.

What is Curb Appeal?

Simply put....it is anything visible to a prospective buyer from the street that makes them want to see more of the house. Curb Appeal can be a powerful force in attracting potential buyers to your home.

But how do you ensure that your house has as much Curb Appeal as possible?

Here are some easy places to start:

• Make sure the lawn is mowed, and all trees and bushes are well trimmed.
• Place planters of flowers or hanging baskets on the porch.
• See that all flowerbeds are weeded and freshly mulched.
• Check that the front door is attractive and freshly painted.
• Consider re-painting the exterior of your house.
• Give the outside of your home a good scrub: clean the windows, patio furniture, driveway and sidewalks.
• Finally, make sure your house numbers are visible, your mailbox is in excellent condition, and that all porch and outside lights are working properly. You want interested buyers to find your home easily!

These are just a few ideas to get you started in preparation for selling your home. Once the home is ready to be put up for sale, it can be listed on my website, where it can get the attention of thousands of prospective buyers. I'd love to sit down and talk with you on other strategies for marketing your home. I look forward to hearing from you.

 

 IS IT TIME TO PAINT?

When it's time to sell, a fresh coat of paint on your home pump up the value, and revive its appeal. The benefits you'll get assumes, of course, the job is professionally performed. The pros make it look easy, but that's because they've been at it for quite a while. Painting your home isn't a do-it-yourself job unless you've got the know how, the proper tools, and enough time.

So where do you find a professional, licensed home painters in your area …ask relatives, friends, co-workers and others you trust.  A home painter who works inside and out, can be just as professional.

 

The Rohm and Haas Paint Quality Institute and Jackie Craven, About.com's resident architect, offer some tips for a solid house painting job:

 

·  Choose the right paint. Oil-based paint is best on old oil-based paint, chalky surfaces or for painting when it's below 50 degrees F. Otherwise, acrylic latex is suitable. Don't' forget the sheen -- glossy, semi-gloss or flat. Glossy paints are more likely to show imperfections, brush strokes and touch ups, but the surfaces are easier to clean. Many homeowners use flat paint for walls and semi-gloss or glossy paint for columns, railings and window sashes.

 

·  Choose the color scheme. Many homes are painted in three colors or shades of the same color, one for the siding or walls, another for the eaves, moldings and trim, and a third for doors, railings, and window sashes. Your home's materials may also dictate the colors you choose. Wood, brick, masonry or aluminum siding can be painted virtually any color. Vinyl siding, however, is best painted a similar hue, unless you choose a color in a newer paint formulated for vinyl.  Be sure to check you homeowner association for any restrictions.  Also, consider your surroundings. You don't want the same colors as the house next door, but you also don't want your home to clash with it. Finally, consider how the colors you choose will mesh -- or not -- with other colors on or near your home that won't be painted including the roof, wood, masonry, or stone components and other elements.

 

·  Consider color characteristics. Light colors make your house appear larger. Dark siding or dark bands of trim will "shrink" your home and draw more attention to details. Fading is more obvious with intense colors. After a few years hot reds and vivid blues become more subdued. Dark colors will require extra maintenance and touch up work. They also absorb heat and suffer more moisture problems than lighter shades.

      Don't be deceived by color swatches which look different in the store than in natural sunlight. Colors also appear lighter on large surfaces than on small samples. Test selected colors in an area before committing to gallons of paint.

 

·  Prepare the surface. The primary reason for a bad paint job is a surface that wasn't properly prepared properly. You and your professional should make sure the paint surface is dry, free of grease, oils, flaking and loose paint so your primer and paint can bond with it. You wouldn't build a house on a bad foundation. Don't give a paint job a poorly prepared surface.

 

·  Prepare the area. Protect landscaping, air conditioning units, BBQ grills and the like. Turn off power to the air conditioner's condenser unit and any outdoor appliances. Use canvas, rather than plastic drop cloths. Plantings will swelter under plastic. Cover and pull bushes and other vegetation away from the house as much as possible so it doesn't interfere with painting. Remove everything you can that is affixed to the home. Mask items you can't remove.

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