Before you ever place your Las Vegas or Henderson NV home on the market, start working on curb appeal. What’s curb appeal? It’s that thing that makes people want to take a second look when they drive by. If they’re house shopping or just dreaming for the future, a home with curb appeal, the one that catches their eye will bring them back once it has a “For Sale” sign in the yard.
Where do you start? With this list:
- Fix the small stuff: The crooked shutter, sagging fence, loose bricks in the walkway, or cracks in the stucco trigger the subconscious to wonder what else is wrong. Start your curb appeal efforts by making sure the basics are in top shape.
- Water the lawn and keep it mowed. Trim the edges too. Rake up leaves and branches, and bag them for removal. Even if your landscaping is simple, if it’s well kept, it catches the eye.
- Weed the flowerbeds and along the fences. Prune the overgrown bushes and trees too.
- Sweep away spider webs and debris from corners and gutters.
- Wash down the exterior surfaces of the house and wash the windows so they sparkle.
Now that you’ve completed the basics, move on to the more intricate — and costly — items. These include painting the front door a bold, brilliant hue, and while you’re at it, paint the house trim. Even if you can’t paint the entire house, freshening the door and window trim gives your house a “cared for” feeling that buyers want.
Changing out the bulbs in the carriage lights and keeping them brightly lit. Do the same with the porch lights. As the seasons change, homebuyers may be seeing your home in the early evening, so illuminate pathways with solar lights or place lights at the base of trees, bushes, or architectural details on your home.
If your gutters sag, call out a service technician and get them realigned or repaired. The same with the downspouts. If they are dented or smashed on the ends, replace them so they don’t detract from your home.
If you have time to replant your flower beds, add seasonal blooming flowers or colorful foliage to attract the eye. Even if you can’t replant your beds, set out pots of colorful flowers in the front of your home.
February is usually mild enough to allow you to plant petunias, pansies, snapdragons and other cool-season annuals in well-drained, highly-enriched soil. Stake new plants and water them deeply to prevent damage from winds.
Choose native plants that are meant for the arid Southern Nevada climate and require less water and maintenance. There are a variety of low-maintenance plants(Opens another site in new window) which will add both color and vibrance to your landscape. Bermuda and other warm-season grasses require about one-third less water than tall fescue grass.
If the front of your home has a long driveway or walkway, consider concrete acid stain to give it a beautiful new surface. And, if the door at the end of that driveway is dented, droopy, or bulges, get it replaced. The R.O.I. is worth it.
For other curb appeal ideas, and ways to stage the interior, please reach out to me.
