They
say you can’t judge a book by its cover. But when it comes to
houses, the exterior can be just as important as the interior if selling
or buying.
When
selling, it is the outside, or the home’s curb appeal that often
determines whether the inside is ever seen. How a house 'shows’
from the street can tell a potential buyer a lot about what it may
be like inside. Even if the inside is the sparkling, charming, structurally
sound dream home they’ve been searching for, a buyer is not
going to forget a cracked driveway, fallen shutters, overgrown grass
and flower beds.
That’s
why most Realtors recommend a house not be seen for the first time
at night. If you have no choice but to view homes at night, always
be sure to drive past them during the daytime before making any final
decisions.
For sellers,
there are many ways to enhance the exterior of a home to achieve the
curb appeal necessary to attract prospective buyers. Start by taking
a close, objective look at your home from the curb. Be sure to view
it from different angles. Ask friends and neighbors for their unbiased
opinions. What are the appealing features? What’s not so appealing?
What can you do to improve its appearance?
Are the
shrubs untrimmed? Are there broken doors and windows, loose screens
and railings? Does the exterior trim, or entire surface, need a paint
job?
The interior
may be clean, without a leaky faucet, cracked floor or loose door
hinge in sight. But if the exterior roof, gutter, walls, driveway,
garage and yard look dirty and untidy, chances are you’re not
going to get a lot of potential buyers knocking at the door.
Creating
curb appeal is making your home inviting from the outside—where
first impressions begin. This doesn’t mean spending a great
deal of money remodeling and renovating. Adding a new front verandah
might add a lot of curb appeal, but so will a couple of wicker chairs
and potted flowers by the front door—at a lot less cost.
Here
are some more tips for making the outside of your home attractive
and inviting:
Clean
up the yard
Mow the lawn, trim the hedges, weed the flower beds, get rid of dead
trees and shrubs; get rid of any broken lawn furniture; shovel the
walk and driveway in winter; rake the yard in the fall.
Repair
any problems
If the roof is damaged, repair it. Also repair any doors and windows
that have loose hinges or other damage; fix storm doors and window
screens; caulk window exteriors; clean and repair sidings and other
structural flaws.
Eliminate
clutter
If you have yard and construction debris piled up along the side of
the house, or elsewhere, get rid of it. The exterior of your home
should be as uncluttered in appearance as the interior. This includes
cleaning out the garage - a major breeder of clutter. Be ruthless.
If you haven’t used something in a year, give it to charity
or recycle it.
Give
siding a fresh new look
Cleaning the exterior surface is all your home may need for a fresh
new face. Before rushing to paint siding, try washing it. For painted
wood siding and aluminum siding, use a solution of one cup strong
detergent and one quart chlorine bleach in three gallons of water.
Be sure to wear rubber gloves, goggles and other protective garments.
Work from the bottom up and rinse thoroughly.To spruce up vinyl siding,
hose it down, sponge it with a mild liquid detergent and rinse.
Use
paint to brighten, re-proportion exterior
A paint job can do wonders for the exterior of a home. A low house
can look more graceful and tall from the curb by emphasizing its vertical
features. Paint elements such as doors, shutters and corner trim in
a color that contrasts with the siding material or color. On a high
home, emphasize horizontal by using a contrasting paint color on window
sills and fascia boards. You can also make a tall house look lower
by painting it a dark color, provided that the roof is dark too. Conversely,
a light color will make a home look larger.
Co-ordinate
the exterior 'look’
The more co-ordinated your house looks from the outside, the more
appealing it will be. Co-ordinate the 'look’ of your home by
painting the garage, tool shed, playhouse and other outdoor structures
with the same color schemes as the house. If your house is a mixture
of conflicting textures - vertical siding, shingles and brick, for
instance—try painting them all the same color, or in two related
shades of the same color, to create a harmonious look. Dark tones
work best when working with conflicting textures.
Use
flower power
Well-placed flowers, trees and shrubs can really make the outside
of a home look inviting. Not only does attractive landscaping invite
buyers, it can increase the value of a home. Even without major landscaping,
flowers can make a yard look colorful and pleasant. Plant them in
garden beds, hang them from railings and porch ceilings, add flower
boxes to window sills. There is no limit to the power of flowers.
At night,
highlight garden features with spotlights and floodlights. Well-lit
paths and entrances promote safety, discourage burglars and are an
added feature to any home. A pretty wreath on the door and a welcome
mat will finish things off.
Ontario
Real Estate Association