There's a lot to of work to do before selling your home.
While most people focus on the interior repairs to their home before listing, it's important not to neglect the exterior! Exterior repairs will provide a good first impression, online and in person, needed to attract the right potential buyers.
Take note of some of the recommended repairs and updates you should make to the exterior of your home before you put it on the market.
1) Replace any broken exterior parts like windows, gutters, mailbox, or tile.
Failing to repair obvious flaws communicates that you don't value your property enough to maintain it. Potential buyers will assume that’s not all that's wrong with the house, and their minds will wander to everything else that may or may not be neglected within the home. You can be sure with an unfavorable first impression, they'll look for more flaws as they tour the property.
2) Update the paint.
Is your house color a little dated or fading? It's time to give your home a fresh coat of paint and bring it back to its former glory. Faded paint looks sad and often makes the house fade away. Perhaps it needs only a little facelift.
Consider painting your front door to catch people's eye or freshen up the shutters to make your house stand out among the rest. Paying attention to these smaller details attracts people's attention.
3) Maintain landscaping.
"Make a great first impression with updates to the front entry and landscape," says MBO editor Jen McDonald in Shine the Best Light on Your For Sale By Owner. Keeping a freshly cut yard, well-groomed shrubbery, and well-watered flowers also shows potential buyers that you value your home.
It not only shows that the home has been well-loved but also makes it beautiful to look at! In addition, moving into a kept property means that new owners will simply have to maintain the already established landscaping rather than starting from scratch.
Of course, you shouldn't neglect the interior updates to your home, but these few exterior updates will give your home additional curb appeal in today's competitive market. And if you ever need a second opinion, ask a friend to tour your home before you list it.
