As a seller preparing to sell your Santa Cruz home, you may be busily emptying closets and painting walls, but don't forget about the outside of your house. Home buying is emotional and, like many emotional reactions, it can be heavily impacted by first impressions.
Here are some suggestions on how to encourage love at first sight by increasing the curb appeal of your Santa Cruz home:
• Tidy up – You may be so used to seeing the crumbling stack of firewood by the garbage cans and the old paint cans by the shed that they fade into the landscape, but potential homeowners see the mess. As you look at the outside of your house, think about what you can throw away or put out of sight. The broken swing on the tree actually takes away from the grandeur of that old oak. An extra hint: Not everyone will enjoy the garden gnome collection as much as you do.
• Trim Everything – If the hedges under the front windows of your Santa Cruz home are so unruly that they cover the windows, it's past time to find the clippers.
• Repair the Front Walk – If you have crumbling cement or stepping stones that slide deeper into the mud with every raindrop, check into updating the front walk so that it is inviting, safe, and weed-free.
• Power-wash decks so they look fresh.
• Clean the gutters – Tiny maple trees in your gutters scream “Water damage!” to potential buyers.
• Paint – If the paint is peeling on the outside of your house, potential buyers go in wondering what the upkeep is like inside. Spend money before you put your home on the market to get a better sale price and quicker purchase. If you absolutely can't afford to paint the whole house, consider painting the shutters and front door for a fresher look.
• Make Friends with Mulch – If your green thumb is actually brown, and your garden sports a post-apocalyptic motif, consider the wonders of mulch. It covers up that patch under the oak where the grass won't grow. Buy a few simple plants and mulch around them to achieve a calm canvas on which gardeners can imagine more complex plantings, while those with challenged gardening skills can envision easy maintenance.
The theme of all these tips is to create an image of your home as a place of order, calm and cleanliness; a place where prospective home buyers feel comfortable and cozy.
Whether you’re ready to sell or need more information before taking the plunge, I can help. Give me a call today at 831.662.6522 or email me at Lauren@LaurenSpencer.com.
For additional information please visit my website at www.MySantaCruzRealEstate.com.
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