Curb Appeal is the First Step in Getting Buyers Inside Your House

Posted: April 30, 2010

With many houses currently on the market, buyers can afford to be choosy. That’s why it’s so important for the first impression they get from the curb to be a favorable one, otherwise, they will just drive by to a more appealing home.

Members of the Milwaukee/NARI Home Improvement Council, Inc., the area's leading home improvement and remodeling industry resource for more than 48 years, offer the following tips to make your home’s curb appeal crisp, clean, and fresh.

* View from the buyer’s standpoint: Look at your home as objectively as you can as you drive by. Does it look like a place you would be proud to own, or are there areas of improvement. Create your spruce-up to-do list.

* Clean, clean, clean: To show the home is well cared for and to present an inviting appearance, paint or wash the exterior of the house including windows, shutters, siding, and doors. A rule of thumb is if you haven’t painted in five years, consider refreshing the paint. Neutrals are best, but you can add pizzazz with a contrasting front door.

* Windows need to sparkle: Clean, streak-free windows suggest a homeowner who takes good care of the house. Windows not only look better from the outside, but make the interior lighter and brighter, too. If screens have tears or holes, repair or replace them.

* Roofs and gutters: Remove fallen sticks from the roof and clean the gutters. Don’t forget to remove the debris that accumulates at the bottom of the downspout. Not only will the roofline look better, but the gutters will function better as well.

* Front Door: It’s the entrance way to the rest of the home and should be pleasing to the eye. A freshly painted or newly stained front door provides the right first impression. Buy new hardware or polish the old. Change the bulbs in the porch lights and clean the glass. If you have a doormat, replace with a new one or discard entirely.

* Lawn care: A lawn that is not cared for sends a strong signal to buyers that perhaps the interior of the house is also not cared for. Rent a dethatcher and edger, kill the weeds, fertilizer for strong growth, and keep the lawn mowed. Reseed any bare spots. Sweep up grass clippings on the driveway and sidewalk, and the street. Make sure dog droppings are picked up daily.

* Flowers and shrubs: Trim dead branches off the shrubbery and rake the leaves underneath. Keep plants, tree limbs, or shrubs from blocking windows or infringing on outdoor living areas. Add or freshen the mulch to make it look cleaner and brighter. Hanging baskets or a few large pots of flowers add color and interest and make the home look more welcoming.

* Fencing, decking, and patios: Use a power washer to scrub off the dirt and make it look like new again. Consider refreshing an old concrete patio with a stain to complement the exterior colors or elements of the house. Clear outdoor living areas of items that add clutter to convey a feeling of spaciousness and position any furniture so that it doesn’t interfere with the traffic flow. Visual interest can be added with a border of annuals or a colorful glazed urn or terra cotta pot. Containers make more of a statement if they are very large and of varying heights.

* Do a walk-around: Walk around your house and remove any garden tools, buckets, toys or recreation equipment that is not in use. Find a place for your garbage bins that are out of sight. If that’s not possible, create a designated space with pavers or gravel and separate from other landscaping with a border of bricks, stones, or plantings. Ornamental grasses and conifers are good screening options.

The Milwaukee/NARI Home Improvement Council was chartered in July 1961, as a Chapter of the National Home Improvement Council. In May of 1982, the National Home Improvement Council merged with the National Remodelers Association to form NARI - the National Association of the Remodeling Industry.

The Council's goals of encouraging ethical conduct, professionalism, and sound business practices in the remodeling industry have led to the remodeling industry's growth and made NARI a recognized authority in that industry. With over 900 members, the Milwaukee Chapter is the nation's largest.

For more information or to receive a free copy of an annual membership roster listing all members alphabetically and by category, and the booklet, “Milwaukee/NARI's Remodeling Guide,” call (414) 771-4071 or visit the Council’s Web site at www.milwaukeenari.org.