Most people have heard of staging a house when it’s time to sell. Real estate agents recommend you do it. There are TV shows about how to do it and most of the time it’s a good way to ensure that you receive a good price. But you never hear of people talking about staging the exterior of the house.
Remember. You only get one chance for a first impression. And that first impression starts as they walk up the driveway.
When your buyers walk up the driveway and take the first look at the house, if they see dirty windows and screens they think immediately, at least subconsciously, that you don’t take care of the house. It also makes them wonder about what other maintenance jobs you haven’t been doing properly. So get those windows and screens cleaned before you put the house on the market.
You also need to refresh your landscaping. If it’s full of weeds, spend a few minutes and pull out those weeds. Trim the bushes down and while you’re at it, don’t forget to take care of your walkway. If you have grass or weeds growing in between the cracks in the concrete or pavement or brick path, get rid of them. Home improvement stores are full of chemicals that you can spray on that will kill them right away.
Refresh your siding. No I’m not telling you that you have to put new siding on your house, but you can clean it. You can use a power washer. Another way is to shampoo it. They sell various cleaning products that just attach to the end of a hose and you just spray it on. And then rinse.
The first part of the house that a potential buyer will actually touch is probably the doorknob. Is it dirty? Think about cleaning it or polishing it. And if it’s that old that that just doesn’t help much, simply replace it. Doesn’t cost much and it’s easy to do. And don’t forget the numbers on the house. Clean the existing ones or just buy new ones.
Do you have patio furniture outside? Is it presentable looking or dilapidated and / or dirty? Either clean it or get rid of it.
Just taking care of these simple things will help you create the best possible first impression when a potential buyer comes to look for the first time.