Exterior Enhancements

When we conduct a Home Staging consultation we not only focus on your home's interior enhancements, but the outside as well.  After all, the first thing a potential home buyer will see either online or from the windows of their vehicle is the front of your home.  It is critical that your home looks presentable from the curb!

We can help you with some of your outside projects.  Just contact us and we'll do what we can to help.  We always use environmentally safe products and practices in our outside projects.  If the jobs are large, we'll provide you with a list of qualified professionals who can take care of your needs.  If any digging needs to be done, always call Miss Utility to have them survey the property BEFORE any soil is turned over.  They are quick to respond and mark your property.

When you first decide to put your home on the market, try this exercise:

The next time you come home, stop across the street or far enough down the driveway to get a good view of the house and its surroundings.

 

  1. What is your first impression of the house and yard area?

     

  2. What are the best exterior features of the house or lot?  How can you enhance them?

     

  3. What are the worst exterior features of the house or lot?  How can you minimize or improve them?

Park where a potential buyer would and walk towards the house, looking around you as if it were your first visit and ask yourself:

 

                                                         Is the approach clean and free of clutter?

                                         What could you do to make it more attractive?

 

Take photos of the home's exterior.  If you have a digital camera, view the color versions first, then remove the color and look at it in black and white, because it's easier to see problems when color isn't around to affect our senses.

 

Make a list of the problem areas you discovered.  Tackle clean up and repair chores first, then put some time into projects that make the grounds more attractive.   No matter what season it is, much can be done to create an inviting entrance to your home and yard.

 

  • Kill mold and mildew on the house, sidewalks, decks, roof, or driveway.   There are many environmentally safe, biodegradable products on the market now that don't contain toxins.  These products won't hurt neighboring animals or plants when used to clean exterior surfaces. 

     

  • Stow away unnecessary garden implements and tools.   It never hurts to clean your garden tools and store them properly on a yearly basis.

     

  • Clean windows and gutters.   This includes cleaning of screens and inside window casings.

  • Don't underestimate the power of a clean exterior - from the curb to the top of your roof.  Make sure all cobwebs, scratches, rust marks, etc. are gone.  Pressure washing is inexpensive, safe, and can be used on just about all exterior surfaces.  Always test how much pressure to use on a small area.

  • Edge sidewalks and driveways and remove vegetation growing between concrete or bricks and cracks.

     

  • Mow the lawn and get rid of weeds by using safe, biodegradable products.

     

  • Rake and dispose of all leaves, even if your lot is wooded.

     

  • Trim tree limbs that are near or touching the home's roof or new growth close to the ground.  You want to be sure your home is seen from the street and your back yard is open and safe.

  • Don't Forget the Rear View!   Buyers doing a drive by will try their best to see your back yard.  If it's visible from another street or from someone's driveway, be certain to include it in your curb appeal efforts.