Thinking of Putting Your Home on the Market? Here are Tips on How to Increase the Curb Appeal of Your Home Online!!

Today's News and Features
Curb Appeal in an Online World
By Joe Cooke, RISMedia Columnist

RISMEDIA, February 17, 2010—Curb appeal isn’t just for curbs. It applies just as much to the photos of your home that appear on the Web. Sue Argue of Staged First Impressions, in Hampton, New Hampshire reminds her clients to “clean up before the photo shoot; that is going to be up to you–the homeowner. Don’t expect your agent to do it.”

Here is a quick pre-shoot checklist for curb and Web appeal:

- Don’t leave debris and toys all over the driveway and front entrance. Park your car out of the way and encourage buyers to park where their car won’t block the view.

- Spruce up your landscaping. Trim hedges, weed the flowerbeds and power wash the driveway and walkways.

- Make your entryway inviting. Paint your front door a happy color. It should promise comfort inside and say welcome.

- Make sure everything is clean. This simple fact cannot be emphasized enough.

- Air the house out. Make sure there are no food smells, cigarette smells or other scents that might put a buyer off.

- Put away clutter. Too many appliances on kitchen counters, too many pictures hanging on walls and too many bits and pieces on your tables will stop a buyer seeing their own special things in those places.

- Clear away unnecessary furniture. Go for a minimalist look so buyers can picture their own décor in the home.

- Do a thorough spring-cleaning. Clean out your closets and pack away items you don’t need right now to give a spacious look to your storage areas.

- Clean your carpets, especially if you have animals in the house. The last thing prospective buyers want to do is to smell your dog’s dinner or have your cat’s hair attach itself to their clothes.

- Wash your windows and let the sunshine in. Light affects emotions. Also, turn on the lights when showing your home. Day-like light bulbs enhance happiness and comfort.

- Put flowers and plants throughout the house to brighten it up and make it feel welcoming.

- Get any undone maintenance jobs and do-it-yourself projects completed before you show the house.

- Fix any broken light fixtures or ceiling fans.

- A new coat of paint works wonders. Select warm neutral shades of paint that will appeal to everyone.

Copyright© 2010 RISMedia, The Leader in Real Estate Information Services, All Rights Reserved. This material may not be republished without permission from RISMedia.