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Landscaping and lighting to quickly and easily increase curb appeal

A large proportion of homebuyers choose whether or not to look inside a home, or take it seriously based on its curb appeal. The curb appeal of a residence is the appearance that many people see when they walk by or come to see it. In fact, you can help make sure they want to come into your home just by spending a little energy working on the visual appeal of your landscaping.

Creating a nice front yard through the use of landscaping can subtly alter the overall feel of your property, making it much more attractive and comfortable for prospective homebuyers and your family. Even in grim economic environments, an attractive, well-maintained front yard can add to the selling price of your residence. When prospective buyers show up at your property for a viewing, the appearance of a nice lawn will have them thinking about ‘coming home’ to your residence.

In reality, it’s hard to look at your own home the way prospective homebuyers do, because when we become familiar with the way your home looks and functions, we can’t see its flaws. Decide right now to stop thinking of the residence as a home. It is a house, a commodity that you intend to put on sale for the highest possible dollar.

The next time you drive home, stop across the avenue or significantly in the driveway to get a decent view of the house and its surroundings. What is the original impression of the house and garden area? What are the best exterior qualities of the home or property? How can you make them even better? What are the unwanted exterior features of the residence or lot? How can you minimize or improve them?

Create a checklist of problem areas you identify. Tackle cleaning and maintenance jobs initially, then spend some time on projects that make the garden more desirable. Clean mold and mildew on property, sidewalks, roof, or driveway. Put away unnecessary garden accessories and equipment. Thoroughly clean the windows and gutters of the house. Pressure wash dirty house siding and deteriorating porches. Tidy up sidewalks and remove plants growing between concrete or bricks. Trim the grass. Get rid of weeds. Rake and dispose of leaves, whether your yard is wooded or not. Trim tree stanchions that are near or in contact with the roof of the house.

Go back to doing your curb appeal at dusk, simply because it’s not unusual for prospective homebuyers to browse homes at night. A quick way to improve curb appeal at night is to work with lighting. Setting up landscape lighting not only increases curb appeal, it can also make your property less dangerous and increase home value. Landscape lighting doesn’t need to be fancy or expensive to create a noticeable effect. Install low-voltage lights along your driveway, sidewalks, and around major landscaping components. Include an ornamental street lighting fixture on a front porch. Make sure lighting is visible through front doors and windows to enhance the appearance of the home.

Now, there are times when adding elements to your landscaping can improve curb appeal, but there are other circumstances when getting rid of something is much more productive. Most buyers can’t visualize fits and typically won’t take a second look at a home if the first look doesn’t appeal to them. Prospective homebuyers who can envision modifications and are well-prepared to make them hope that it will lower the price of the residence to compensate for the work they plan to complete.

If you brainstorm, you’ll find that there is an alternative to most problems, one that allows you to stay within your price range. The trick is to find the areas where improvements are needed and then work on them as best you can. Things to consider are the total space available, the height of the walls, and keeping pathways and window locations clear, as well as the time of year, weather situations, and color schemes. No matter what plants or flowers you consider putting up, whether they are ground cover flowers, space-filling foliage, or wall-climbing vines, it will almost certainly increase the value of your home far more than the cost of landscaping alone.

Fort Worth Real Estate

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