(Newswire.net — September 11, 2017) — With Texas home prices on a hot streak in recent times, particularly when it comes to North Texas, many property owners in the state are considering putting their houses or apartments on the market to take advantage of high prices.
If you’re in this position, make sure you don’t forget about making the outside areas of your home look just as neat, tidy and appealing as the inside. After all, the first things potential buyers will see when they arrive at your property is your front yard. Read on for some tips you can follow to increase the curb appeal of your home for a top sale.
Give Your House an Exterior Facelift
One of the first steps you should take is to give your house an exterior facelift, particularly the front. Try to take a look at your home from the street from a stranger’s perspective. Notice any parts of your house exterior or yard that is looking rundown or damaged. While you might walk past these things every day and not notice they’ve gotten into a state of disrepair, an outsider certainly will see things with fresh eyes and could potentially be turned off from even viewing the inside of your home.
As such, you may want to get your whole house painted, or just the front door and/or windows and other trims; have a repairman replace or fix parts of the roof; and put some shiny new hardware on your front door such as a knocker and door handle. Your garage door may also need to be repaired or replaced to make the property look more modern.
It’s also typically worthwhile replacing a mailbox that is rusted out, falling down, damaged, or peeling paint. When you go to buy a new one though, make sure you choose something that will match the colors of your house and its style of architecture.
Fencing is another important element. If you don’t currently have a front fence or any hedging or other type of demarcation from your neighbors’ properties, it pays to spend money on an addition. After all, many people looking at buying a new home have pets and/or children, or simply want plenty of privacy, so will require a fence on their property. If there is one already in place but it’s not in good condition, consider freshening it up with new paint or repairs if needed. A cracked driveway may also need attention.
Ensure Your Lawn and Gardens Are Neat and Tidy
Another area to consider when you’re ready to sell your home is your lawn and gardens. People will notice these as they first walk up to your front door, so you don’t want to turn them off with an overgrown, messy yard that looks like it hasn’t been maintained for months or years.
To begin with, get your lawn looking lush. On top of regular mowing, you also need to properly care for it. The list of maintenance tasks includes watering, fertilizing, raking leaves (leaves can stop the grass from being able to get air or sunlight or water), pest control, and aeration. If you’re someone who doesn’t know the first thing about these tasks, or who simply doesn’t have the time or inclination to do them, it pays to hire someone to take care of them for you. For example, this specialist in lawn care in Richland Hills can get your lawn looking its best quickly.
Don’t ignore your gardens, either. Before you put your house on the market, make sure you clear them of any clutter and debris. Many trees and shrubs may need to be trimmed back, or you might have to remove dead ones all together or relocate plants which have become too large for their current position.
If your yard is looking bare, though, it’s time to go shopping for new plants to add some pizazz to your outdoor spaces. You don’t have to fork out a huge amount of cash, since simply planting some small flowers or shrubs in a uniform way around the yard can instantly give it a facelift.
Install Outdoor Lighting
Lastly, while you might be used to where everything is in the outdoor areas of your home, strangers aren’t. As such, it is important to have lighting set up at the front, back, and sides of your home to make it easy for people to get around if they are inspecting the property at night. Nice outdoor lighting will also add curb appeal to your property (as long as it matches the style of your home), and make potential buyers feel that it is safer to boot.