Sell My House: Get out of the house!

What’s the first thing a potential buyer will see when they pull up to your house? Uh, the outside? Yes, this might seem obvious, but, believe me, it gets overlooked way too much. Especially in rainy weather, you need to ensure your house is well kept, inside and out, when on the market. You never know who might do a drive by before deciding to check out the inside. I searched high and low and have compiled a checklist for making the outside of your house shine.

Cheap and easy must-do’s:

Wash your windows. Clean windows are like a bright-white smile on your face, guaranteed to sparkle.

Remove clutter. Your children can live for awhile with just one outdoor toy in the yard, instead of 20. If you have to keep bikes and other stuff outside, make sure it looks organized and orderly, not just thrown in the backyard.

Trim overgrown bushes and weed collections. Neat and tidy gardens will best show off your house.

Keep your lawn and garden well maintained. Cut lawn, sweep walkways, and rake leaves regularly. And don’t forget to pick up after any pets. The last thing you want is for a buyer to walk away with a smelly token on his or her show, not the way you want to be remembered.

Put out a welcoming welcome mat and a pot of flowers. Like church clothes for your house.

Good ideas if you can afford it:

Fix doorbells, outside lights, and house numbers if not working. First signs to the buyer that the house has either been well cared for or neglected.

Power wash everything (sidewalks, siding, windows, driveways, etc.).

Paint trim, fences, patio structures, front door, and even the whole house. For a little money, make your house look fresh with newly painted trim. For a lot of money, give your house a completely new look by painting it all in a nice appealing neutral color. The most popular exterior color in the U.S. is white or off-white, followed by beige. In last place is red and pink.

Fix gutter issues, shutters that are worn, old/broken garage doors, and any roof issues.

References:

Audrie’s “Selling your own home: tips for the exterior”

Home Life Magazine’s “Tips From the Pros… Selling Your House in a Soft Market”

Orange County Report’s “Things to Do Before Selling Your Home”

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