The New Curb Appeal
For years Realtors have known the importance of curb appeal when selling a home. Making an immediate first impression on a prospective buyer is critical to getting them excited about your home before they even step inside. Overcoming a bad first impression is difficult, so we want them thinking good things right away.
Twenty years ago buyers formed that first impression by driving up to the house. But today, that critical first impression is not made when they pull up to the house. Heavens no. Now, the new curb appeal happens online – well before the buyer ever gets near your home. And if you don’t look GREAT online, the buyer won’t bother to schedule a showing.
Here are a few tips:
- Have your Realtor send you a link to how your home looks on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). MLS is what most Realtors see when determining if they should recommend a home to their buyers.
- Look at your home on the company website of your Realtor.
- Look at your home on national websites like Realtor.com and YouTube.
If the information and photos don’t look GREAT, then you need to make a change. Remember that the photos shouldn’t be about documenting every room of the house. They should have one singular purpose – to get a prospective buyer to schedule a showing. Period. If a picture or ad copy doesn’t contribute toward that goal, then it should be changed.
As we move into summer, invest in sprucing up the exterior attractiveness of your home. Start with general cleaning, window washing, touching up paint (especially the front door), and replacing light bulbs. Your lawn should be green and mowed frequently. Trim the shrubs, edge the sidewalks (has great visual impact), add fresh mulch, and enhance with colorful flowers.
You have high expectations of your Realtor to market your home and negotiate strongly on your behalf. But the condition and appeal of the home is your job. It’s the one thing in the process that you control. Realtor and home owner working together, each doing their job well will get your home sold!
Email me anytime for more help on getting your home sold.
Posted by: 
Essam Elsafy
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