Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/275017
Santa Cruz Sentinel S8 Sunday, MarCh 9, 2014 Men and women who have tried to sell a home are likely fa- miliar with the phrase "curb appeal." Curb ap- peal is similar to getting ready for a big date, only you're not dressing yourself up to make a strong first impression. Instead, improving curb appeal involves dress- ing your home up in the hopes it makes a strong first impression on pro- spective buyers, many of whom will have a strong opinion about the property before they even get out of their cars to have a look around. A home with strong curb appeal can entice buyers who are likely to believe that a home with a well-maintained exterior is likely to have an equally impressive interior. Homeowners who want the process of selling their home to go smoothly can im- prove the property's curb appeal in a number of ways, many of which don't necessitate a sub- stantial home improve- ment budget. *CLEAN UP The most effective way to improve curb appeal is to clean up the property. Many homeowners are savvy enough to remove toys and other items from the yard before showing a home, but cleaning up goes beyond removing clutter from the proper- ty. Make sure all hedges are trimmed and remove weeds, sticks and other debris from any flower beds. Lay mulch in the flower beds and garden, as mulch prevents weed growth while helping the soil retain moisture, resulting in more attrac- tive gardens to catch a buyer's eye. *GET AN "EDGE" ON OTHER SELLERS Edging is another easy and effective way to im- prove curb appeal. Edge driveways, sidewalks and other walkways around the property, removing or trimming anything that is hang- ing over the driveway or walkways. If the bound- ary between your drive- way and lawn is not dis- tinct, consider installing edging materials such as stone or bricks. The edging can be level with the driveway or elevat- ed, but keep in mind that elevated driveway edging can protect the lawn, preventing kids from riding their bicy- cles onto the lawn or cars from driving onto it. Adding edging is not a very difficult do-it- yourself project. *MAKE THE HOME ACCESSIBLE THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR Many homeown- ers enter their home through a side door or through their garage. If you fall into this cate- gory, keep in mind that prospective buyers will be entering through the front door, so make this area accessible. Clear any clutter, such as over- grown hedges, away from the front door, and consider upgrading the door handle to a more modern feature. In ad- dition, make sure the lock on the front door doesn't stick, forcing the realtor and buyers to immediately strug- gle before entering the home. You want buy- ers and their real estate agents to get in and out of the home as smooth- ly as possible. by Metro Creative Services How to improve your home's curb appeal