You don’t have to go all out with hundreds of dollars worth of landscaping features in order to appeal to buyers. Too much sell and all buyers see is a high maintenance yard. Simple, tailored, polished and trimmed is the best way to attract a wide range of homebuyers. Make sure that lawn is the greenest, neatest, and cleanest yard in the neighborhood. Trust me, buyers will notice.
Your curb appeal should be what’s drawing buyers up to the front door for a closer look but don’t stop there. Make sure the windows are washed, paint the front door or the trim around close windows and doors, update the hardware on the door including any porch lights, doorbells and mailboxes. These little details can add charm and sophistication to your curb appeal.
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If the home is to dramatically different from all of the neighbors you might stand out in a bad way. You don’t want to be radically different from your neighborhood but stay with the design and continuity of most of the homes in the neighborhood but at just a little bit more upscale finishing then your closest neighbor. Brighten up your lawn with some nitrogen; added stately flowerpots to either side of the front steps; added light post or some sidewalk lights and trim all trees away from the siding of the house, sidewalks, steps and walkways.
Again, one of the first things you should do is to talk to your real estate agent about the micro neighborhoods and what buyers expect in a particular area. As a Tri-Valley real estate agent I’d be happy to offer tips and suggestions on what buyers in this area specifically look for in a homes curb appeal.