Curb Appeal in real estate terms used to mean how appealing your home is to potential buyers when they view the home’s exterior. It was the first time they were seeing your home, and it sets the stage for the rest of your home. But this has changed with the use of Web sites such as Realtor.com, Facebook, and the local and national real estate agency Web site that is listing the house for sale.

The appeal of your home comes long before a buyer even gets to your front door — it starts online. And it is not just your front door that sets the stage, it is your entire house that the buyer can see, long before ever getting to your house.

So the first item of business: Make sure your photos are capturing your listing from the very best angle!

The photographs real estate agents use for a home on the Web are crucial. It is best to use a professional photographer who specializes in taking photos of homes for sale but if you can’t afford one, there are several things to consider. Real Estate Blogger Web site recently released an article listing the Top 10 Tips of Photographing Your Home for Sale.

Among the blog’s tips:

• Try a tripod. It will not only help you keep the camera steady, but it will also allow you to concentrate on more important things—like getting that perfect picture.
•  Watch your lighting. Don’t turn on all of the lighting in the room and close the drapes, you’ll get “halos” around the room’s lamps. Use the camera’s flash to get an even photo. Also, take photos of the outside gardens in the shade—it’ll look better than when taken in the bright sun.
•  Haul the clutter away. Take down the personal photos, too.

Remember: The photographs are your calling card. So if the photos aren’t representative of your home’s appeal than the buyer will never get to your front door. There’s always another house just a mouse click away!

Once potential buyers are lured by your photos, you’ll want to make sure the home’s curb appeal doesn’t let them down when they’re there in person.

Take these steps:

• Make sure your porch has adequate lighting and is clean and has easy access. Sweep the porch, remove the cobwebs, wipe off the finger marks from the doorframe, and polish the hardware. If the paint is chipped or cracked, make sure to touch it up.
•  Make it clutter free. Just like the inside of your home, your outside needs to be clutter free too.
•  Tend to the landscaping. Remove any overgrowth of landscaping that makes it hard to reach your front door.
• Take an unbiased look. I actually have the sellers walk out to their curb to look at their home from the buyer’s perspective. It allows everyone to understand what needs to be done.
•  Add some flowers. Every season has blooming plants. Even if your landscaping isn’t close to your front door, you can always add a pot with blooming plants — whether a few or just one.

I like to use terra cotta pots, which is the most neutral and flattering style pot for any season. In the freezing climates it may be more difficult to place fresh blooming plants outside. So if you can’t, make sure there are fresh flowers greeting buyers once they walk in the door.

Also, when selling a house in the winter (and the holidays have past), I use spring blooming flowers rather than winter blooming plants — this helps to build anticipation and joy for spring.

So before that For Sale sign ever goes up outside your home, prepare your home online. Then your total curb appeal will be ready to draw in buyers!

Stephanie Decker

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Stephanie Decker of Staged Marin Homes in Mill Valley, Calif., has more than 20 years in the interior design industry and has her California Real Estate license. She combines her interior design experience with her real estate knowledge to successfully stage properties, ranging from under a $1 million to over $5 million. Decker is an advocate of home staging, speaking and writing about its value in the real estate community.

Once the holiday season is over, we all tend to hunker down for the cold months ahead (at least those of us not lucky enough to live in a warm locale).  The long winter months can play havoc with your social life, mood, travel plans, and, dare I say it, your real estate listings.

How do you bolster potential buyers on the merits of your listing’s exterior when there’s 4 feet of snow outside? Well, here are a few things that just might help.

• Make sure all seasonal decorations have been put away.  It’s time to remove the outdoor Christmas lights and Santa displays.

• Place a few frost resistant planters or urns outside.  Dress them up with twigs, winter greenery, and sparkly “baubles.”

• Statues look great in an outdoor winter garden.  Make sure that the pieces you display are frost resistant so they won’t crack.  Strategically place them around your garden to help draw potential buyers’ eyes around your outdoor space.

• A few outdoor flood lights (clear, not colored) shining on statues, urns, and other interesting architectural features will give a hint of drama for nighttime showings.

• Invest in a digital photo frame and load photos taken of your property during the summer months.  Include a few close-ups of some of your favorite perennials.  Buyers like to know what’s planted in the garden.

Make sure you also add photos of family and friends at outdoor summer gatherings.  Place the digital frame in a central location such as your kitchen, and play the photos on a continuous loop for everyone to enjoy.  Your audience will get a glimpse at your property’s summer appeal.

• Buyers will want to see the patio and/or deck.  Make sure that all snow has been cleared away to show it off.

• If you have a heated garage, make sure that the heat is turned on prior to showings so that buyers can appreciate this feature.

• Leave your barbecue out for the winter and uncover it for showings if your outdoor entertaining space is located in close proximity to the kitchen.  Many people like to barbecue in the winter and if your property is conducive to this set up, it’s a great selling feature — must be a “guy thing,” I guess.  If you’re having an open house, open up the barbecue lid (make sure it’s clean inside), set out a plate and place some barbecue utensils next to the side grill.  No harm in helping buyers envision the possibilities.

• If you have an outdoor fireplace or fire pit with a direct gas line, consider lighting it for nighttime showings.  Check with the manufacturer first though, to make sure that your particular unit is suitable for winter use from a safety point of view.  In fact, back to point No. 2 for a moment — the digital photos.  Invite a crew of your friends over for a winter evening marshmallow roast around the fire.  Supply a few blankets and some warm drinks and get snap happy with your camera.  A few of these shots would be great on your digital photo frame as well.

When selling a property, you are also selling a lifestyle to a certain extent.  What better way to display a lifestyle than with photos.  Besides, you’ll actually have some fun staging your photo shoot.

These are just a few ideas to help your listings through the winter months.  I’d love to hear your ideas!

Charlene Storozuk

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Charlene Storozuk is the owner of Dezigner Digz, a professional home staging and interior decorating company based in Burlington, Ontario.  Her work is featured in the book FabJob Guide To Become A Home Stager, 2009 edition. She serves as regional vice-president, Canada for the Real Estate Staging Association and is a past recipient of the North American Leadership Award for her work as founder and president of the Halton & Hamilton-Wentworth RESA Chapter.

The survey, conducted in October, asked participants which type of siding they prefer on a home.  Possible answers included brick, vinyl, stucco, fiber cement/composite and other; participants were allowed to choose more than one option.  For the 1,144 home owners with a siding preference, brick was the leading choice with nearly two of every three respondents selecting it. Vinyl came in second (37 percent), followed by stucco (19 percent), fiber cement/composite (14 percent), and other (11 percent).

“This research shows brick is still the overwhelming choice for home owners who have a say in their exterior cladding,” said Bob Kepford, president, Boral Bricks, Inc.  “Coming out of the recession, home owners will likely be in their homes longer than in recent years, and they should insist their builders use the most sustainable siding option to ensure it holds up to the elements. Brick has also proven to help homes increase in value, which is important with slower real estate appreciation expected in the future.”

According to U.S. Census data on siding for new homes, builders have increasingly opted for lap siding products over the last ten years.  These products may provide more ease of installation; however, they don’t offer the consumer benefits home owners appreciate with brick ­ including the fact that it is virtually maintenance free, extremely durable, locally sourced and sustainable.

Visit BoralBricks.com for the complete survey results.

Survey Methodology:

Harris Interactive fielded the Siding Preferences study on behalf of Boral Bricks from October 12-14, 2009 via its QuickQuery online omnibus service, interviewing a nationwide sample of 2,073 U.S. adults aged 18 years and older of which 1,114 are home owners. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact Brian Remsberg at brianr@imre.com.

About Boral Bricks:

Boral Bricks is the largest clay brick and paver manufacturer in the United States. Boral Bricks Inc. is the largest operating company of Boral USA, a holding company that owns Boralʼs U.S. operation. Boral Bricks Inc. is headquartered in Roswell, GA. For additional information, please visit www.boralbricks.com or call 800-5-BORAL-5.

The Internet is the first source for viewing a property for most buyers, even before talking to a real estate professional. That means curb appeal is important because they are “driving by” the listing, and you don’t know it.

Here are 10 things to consider when assessing the curb appeal of your listing:

1. Pressure wash siding, decks, and walkways.

2. Clean windows and gutters, and check downspouts.

3. Check the growth of trees and bushes–ensure they don’t block light from any window.

4. Kill any mold or mildew around the property.

5. Mow the lawn, eliminate weeds, and rake and dispose of leaves, especially if it’s a wooded lot.

6. Paint the front door. Color choice has a big impact–so you might want to get a professional’s advice.

7. Make the front entry sing “welcome”. The degree of what can be achieved depends on the size of entry and, of course, your budget. However, even minimal improvements will make a huge difference: Consider flowers, a new mailbox, hardware, lights, and house numbers.

8. Don’t forget the rear yard–buyers may attempt to see the back yard during a drive by, even from another street.

9. Outdoor lighting is a huge plus as 50 percent of viewings take place at night. Today we are fortunate to have access to inexpensive but tasteful low-voltage lighting. Consider placing lighting along the sidewalks, driveway, or attractive landscaping elements. Take extra care to ensure your front door and numbers are clearly visible from the street.

10. If the inside of the home is visible at night, be sure the interior lighting also enhances what is seen from the outside.

Remember: You never get a second chance to make a great first impression!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Christine Rae is the co-author of “Home Staging for Dummies” (Wiley, 2008), found of Decorating Solutions Inc., and an internationally recognized expert and trainer in the home staging industry. She is the editor of Staging Standard, an industry trade magazine on staging, and co-author of the e-book “Home Staging Business Guide.” In 2005, she launched an international staging certification program, the Canadian Certified Staging Professionals, and Certified Staging Professionals in the United States and Australia.

Trey Rogers: The Yard Doctor

There is no better time than fall to get yards looking great, according to the “Yard Doctor” Trey Rogers, a professor of turfgrass management in the crop and soil sciences department at Michigan State University.

Here are 6 tips from Rogers to help you and your clients take advantage of the seasonal weather and vibrant colors to add dramatic curb appeal.

1. For home owners in the northern portion of the United States, fall is the single best time to fertilize a yard. During the first 10 days of September, lay a complete nitrogen and potassium combination fertilizer.

2. Fall is also the best time to reseed grass. If you have bare spots from the summer, put down a seed mix that matches the yard during the first 15 days of September. Yards with crabgrass will notice the patches turn purple with the first frost.  It is important to thoroughly seed and water those areas.

“It’s a good time because the ground is still warm, but the days are getting shorter so you don’t have as much day length to rob the moisture out of the soil,” Rogers says.

3. During the first 10 days of October, take care of those pesky weeds and dandelions. Spray a liquid broadleaf herbicide over the yard. Weeds germinate in the fall, so by treating the problem in October, there will be fewer dandelions in the spring.

4. Mow, mow, mow. If you really want a yard to look smashing, dedicate yourself to mowing twice a week with the blade set at 2 ½ to 3 inches through mid-October.

“They’ll be surprised when they see how much that makes the grass grow,” says Rogers. Don’t forget to keep watering, too.

5. It’s important to get those leaves off the ground as to not suffocate the lawn.  But a better option would be to grind up the leaves and mulch them back into the yard. Most lawnmowers have blades designed for mulching. This provides natural nutrients and can be an organic weed controller — particularly maple leaves, which are a natural herbicide toward dandelions, Rogers says.

6. Play with the fall colors. Display potted mums. Think red. Dogwood bushes are cold-weather hardy and have red or yellow branches. Holly is another great way to decorate the outside of a home, where the bright red berries on the branches can standout.

John (Trey) Rogers, Ph.D., is regarded as one of the country’s leading experts on growing and maintaining healthy lawns. He has been a professor of turfgrass science at Michigan State University for 22 years. He is also a consultant to Briggs & Stratton, a manufacturer of engines for outdoor power equipment, where he has become known as the Yard Doctor. Visit his Web site: http://www.yardsmarts.com

Photo provided by Phyllis Harb

1. Trim shrubs and trees in the front yard; a homebuyer should be able to see your home’s architectural features (such as that beautiful picture window). Tidy up your yard; put away hoses, trash cans, etc.

2. Remove the screen door (if any), dress up the front porch with a plant (if there’s room), and wash your windows and your screens.

3. If the mailbox is visible from the curb, ensure that it is attractive.

4. Repaint any peeling trim or exterior paint.

5. Define the approach: Add a stone walkway or path leading to the house, or define it with plants or flowers.

6. Ensure any automatic lights along the house and walkways light up when it gets dark.

7. When visible from the street, replace that tired looking garage door with a new one.  Remember to keep the door style in tune with the home’s architectural style.

8. Make sure the driveway isn’t cracked. If so consider repair or resurface.

9. Add details such as shutters and decorative moldings. Make boring windows come alive and (depending on your home’s style) define the architecture of your house with shutters or ironwork.

10. Take one more close look at the exterior of the property from a buyer’s perspective. Imagine the real estate professional at your front door fumbling with the lockbox as the homebuyers are looking at your neighborhood–what do they see?  Is there trash in the street?  Is the neighbor’s lawn overgrown?

I offer my clients a complimentary home staging consultation. Too often, I meet with home sellers who are spending their time and money frivolously by either making wrong material or color selections, or other updates that won’t add to their bottom line. The goal is to only spend money on repairs and improvements that will offer you a good return on your investment (considering your time and money spent).

Phyllis Harb

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Phyllis Harb is a real estate professional with Dickson Podley REALTORS®, based in La Canada, Calif. She has 20 years of combined real estate and mortgage banking experience. You can visit her blog, Phyllis’ LA Real Estate Blog, at http://los-angeles-real-estate-blog.com.

A messy neighbor can hamper your property–by as much as 20 percent off the market value, says Sid Davis, author of A Survival Guide to Selling a Home (AMACOM, 2005), who is also a real estate broker.

No one wants to live next to the neighbor with the overgrown yard, broken stair railings, littered yard, and completely neglected property.

So what should you do if you find that your property is living next to the “neighbor from hell?”

A recent Universal Press Syndicate article by Ellen James Martin provides tips from Davis on how to resolve the problem amicably. 

• Try to reason with the neighbors. Maintain a positive attitude when you approach them and don’t get a crowd of people to go with you, just you or one other person. You may find that they are willing to fix the problem.

• Volunteer to do the work yourself. “This is not about fairness,” Davis says in the article. “This is about getting the dump next door cleaned up so you can sell your house for a decent price.”

• File a formal complaint. You can do this with your neighborhood association or local government office. This should be done as a last resort. You and your neighbors may be referred to a mediator to attempt to resolve the issue, Davis says.

Just don’t ignore the problem, Davis says, because your potential buyers certainly won’t.

Read the full article >

In this market, selling a house can be more challenging than ever. As a real estate professional, I’m sure you have used many ideas to help make your property look its most attractive to potential buyers. As an architect for two decades, I have suggestions and tips to maximize your potential in selling the home.

Photo Courtesy David Applebaum

Every house and every property is different, and I recognize that a “walk through” can inspire specific ideas for each property. But here are some universal suggestions that will make any house look more appealing for sale.

1.    Clean everything. Eliminate damaged and soiled items, get rid of half of the furniture and rearrange the other half, and remove any personal items. It is important to give the buyers the ability to see themselves in the property.

2.    Accent lighting. This can help make the home more attractive and accentuate the positives by highlighting the homes attributes and diminish the negatives of any setting. The key is to realize that you are playing with contrasts.

Some other lighting tips:

• A light along fabulous furnishings, an architectural element, or detail will show that element off.
• A light behind an object will frame the object in darkness and bathe what is behind it in a wash of light.
• Use highlight and contrast to make a room feel longer, higher, or warmer.
• 

  Photo Courtesy of David Applebaum

  Keep the elements that you do not want seen in darker settings, and the ones you want highlighted in light.

• Set the mood with accent lighting and candles to provide warmth and drama that will set your property apart from all others.
• Accent lighting is the easiest and most effective enhancement.

3.    Paint. This is perhaps the most common enhancement that is done to a property. Because a buyer might have their own ideas about colors, I usually do not recommend a full paint job unless the property needs it. Sometimes, a fresh coat of paint is only required in a few areas to refresh a house. I have found that the front door is a good place for new paint, as it is the first part of the house to be touched by a potential buyer.

4.    Don’t go overboard with fancy flooring. There was a time that new berber carpeting and travertine meant that the FOR SALE sign would be installed the next week. None of the buyers that I shopped with planned to keep any of those inexpensive additions. People were buying houses, not because of the new carpet and new stone, but because the market was hot. Many of my clients would have preferred to restore older tile work, choose the color and quality of carpets, and completely renovate the kitchen. None of them liked having to pay for improvements that would be replaced. The floors and surfaces should be clean and attractive, but unless there is damage, I suggest lovely area rugs that your client can take with them.

5.    Replace the hardware in the kitchen and baths. It’s a fairly inexpensive way to refresh your property. If the cabinets are in decent shape, new knobs can update a room easily. These are little details that can make a huge impact on a potential buyer. If the front door knob is in disrepair, it will be hard to get a buyer’s confidence back.

6.    Spruce up the exterior. Follow the same advice as the interior and apply it to the exterior. Make sure that everything is clean and edit the furnishings. New cushions for the outdoor furniture can immediately make the yard look more comfortable. You might need to replace the light fixtures, since the elements are usually not very kind to exterior accessories. Consider a few nice plants in lovely pots and a wind chime to heighten the outside living experience.

I hope that these suggestions will help you provide inexpensive and effective ways to help you present your client’s properties in the best way.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: David Applebaum is an architect in Los Angeles, Calif., who has designed homes for such celebrities as Diane Keaton, Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, Nancy McKeon, Rupert Murdoch, and Cuba Gooding Jr., in addition to numerous home owners throughout Southern California. Visit his Web site: www.davidapplebaum.com