You’ve got one chance to make a first impression

I’m competitive. I like to win. So when clients recently called me to talk about why their home wasn’t selling, my first thought was … “How can I help them beat their competition?” In this case, the competition was the flood of neighbouring homes for sale. 

The biggest challenge in selling a house is getting potential buyers in the door and giving them a reason to bother. Over the past 25-years, my go to has always been to focus on curb appeal because we only get one chance to make a first impression. 

Having been called to work with clients so they can sell their home quickly and make some money at the same time, here are my top five ways to increase curb appeal. 

  1. Take care of the small stuffThe first, easiest, and least costly thing to do when you need to improve the curb appeal of your home is to have a hard look and clean up anything that looks tired or unkempt.Are the plants looking shaggy? Is the eaves trough falling down? Does the grass need to be trimmed?

    Take care of these little things so your house is presented in its best light. When a home is neat and tidy on the outside, buyers will think the rest of the home is well cared for.

  2. Dress up your front door Your home’s front entry is the focal point of its curb appeal. Make a statement by painting your door a vibrant colour or installing a custom wood door. Clean and use metal polish on the door fixtures. Then decorate around the front door with gorgeous planters and on trend accents. Your goal is to attract the eye to the heart of the home and keep buyers interested.
  3. Add some jewelry The smallest change can make a big impact. Buyers are drawn to unique details that make a statement. Think of changing out the door hardware, adding a doorknocker, replacing your mailbox and street numbers.
  4. Give your house a faceliftA full exterior facelift – think of a fresh coat of paint with contrasting trim – instantly transforms the look of a home. Periodic maintenance of the exterior is the surest way to keep your home and its curb appeal at its best. Any obvious defects, such as cracked or rotting material, can downgrade the aesthetic and quickly turn away homebuyers. If potential buyers spot exterior defects on first viewing, they will wonder what other defects are obvious or not so obvious with the rest of the house.

    By fixing these issues and brightening up the home with a fresh coat of paint, you’re set to attract a whole new level of buyer.

  5. Roll out the red carpetMake a statement by creating a welcoming path to the front door. Ensure your sidewalk is in good repair and line the sides with outdoor lights and gorgeous plantings. This statement guides would-be buyers to notice your home’s best features and lands them perfectly at your newly redone front door.

If you’re selling your home and want some great advice, please feel free to call and we’ll set something up. If there’s some work to do to get the home saleable and competitive in today’s market, we’d be happy to help. We can also help to ensure you spend your hard-earned dollars on the right improvements.

I hope you found this list useful. Feel free to reach out any time with your questions as we’re here to help you create the space of your dreams. Give me a call at 403-390-7708 or shoot me an email. In the meantime, have a look at some of our work over on our website.