Checklist for increasing your houses' curb appeal.

When I was starting out in the business a great real estate agent once told me that houses are bought or sold as soon as the car door slams shut. Now that I'm getting up there in number of closed escrows, I can see that she was right. "Curb Appeal" is the term to describe that magic feeling that people get when they first set eyes on a property. It's not always a quantifiable thing, more of a "vibe", a feeling. Curb Appeal is the most valuable thing any home seller can have. Here's a basic checklist of things that I have noticed contribute to Curb Appeal that can be done for free to any home being marketed for sale.

Sky's Curb Appeal Checklist (abridged)-


Inspect the outside ground. Remove any building materials, scrap wood, discarded household items, etc. from the property. Store garbage cans in the garage. Remove weeds from the sidewalk.

Check the home from the roof line down.
- Is the roof free and clear from obstructions and moss?
- Are the gutters clear and neatly hung?
- Are the windows clean and free from obstructions (such as overgrown bushes or trees)?
- Are bushes, trees and shrubs neatly pruned?

Inspect the condition of the paint or siding?
- Is it time to power wash the siding?
- Is touch up paint needed?
- Is the front door in good shape?

Do flower beds need an upgrade?
- Are plants neatly pruned?
- Is the bed free and clear of weeds?
- Is the bed properly mulched?
- Are flowers in bloom? For $50, one can purchase many wildflower seeds that will cover much more ground than the same dollar amount of plants.

Keep the lawn neatly groomed.
- Is the lawn free from weeds?
- Is the lawn free from grass clippings?
- Is the lawn neatly edged?

With just a little bit of elbow grease, home owners can make their home prettier. The bottom line is that clean, well kept houses have more curb appeal. If you want to sell the house make sure it looks more like this: Than this: