eople often focus on how For those of you who are planning
to decorate and improve the on selling your home soon, making
interior of their homes to these changes will create a "come
reflect their personal taste. on in" look for any prospective
They often overlook the buyers. While the interior might
possibilities for improving the be in excellent condition, you
exterior of their home - its curb only get once chance to make a
appeal. good first impression.
By making simple cosmetic changes Here are some tips for increasing
to the overall visual appearance your home's curb appeal:
of your homes exterior and
landscaping, you can create a • Patching cracks in an asphalt
home that truly reflects your driveway will prevent water
style and that increases your seepage and further cracking.
enjoyment and satisfaction while This can be done either
living there. professionally or with a
do-it-yourself application for a
Too often people put off these hardware store.
simple, relatively inexpensive
improvements until they are ready • Power washing a cement driveway
to sell and by doing this they will remove oil, rust and other
miss out on the opportunity to stains.
fully experience living in a home
that is an expression of • Inexpensive vinyl shutters will
themselves (not the previous add more dimension to the
owner). They only see their house exterior windows.
at its best when they are ready
to pass it on to the buyer. • If the house exterior is
lacking color or depth, adding
window boxes with seasonal rather than planting younger ones
flowers adds greater curb appeal. that need time to grow should be
Planters and seasonal flowers on considered.
a porch or a wide entry add both
beauty and richness. • Homeowners should take a
realistic look at their house,
• Frequent pruning and trimming and compare it to their
of plants and shrubs provides a neighbors'. If it appears rather
well cared for look. Also, well faded by comparison, a fresh coat
manicured, cutter-free yards are of paint should be considered.
always appealing.
• Last, but certainly not least,
• An assortment of flowers crystal clear windows are a
planted around the base of a tree strong indicator that the house
on a lawn is always a quality has been well cared for.
feature. Using mature plants
About the Author:
Julie Jalone is an experienced professional Realtor serving the need of buyers and sellers of residential real estate in the Greater Sacramento area including Placer, El Dorado, Yolo and Yuba counties. Some of the communities served by Julie include Sacramento, Roseville, Rocklin, Lincoln and Granite Bay. Julie is a wife and mother living in Rocklin. For more information see her website, www.jalone.com, which includes listings, local real estate market analysis, news, resources for buyers and sellers and her daily weblog, ”Keep it Real in Sacramento.”
