Curb Appeal - You Either Have it or You Don't!

I spend much of my time in my car driving around going through subdivisions looking at homes. It's important, it's my career, and it's how I help people.

When I see a "For Sale" sign in a yard I often stop and take a quick visual on the property, then I jot down a few notes regarding the address and external condition and I'm on the road to my next appointment.

I'm amazed at the number of properties I've seen where the bushes are overgrown, the ivy vines are up to the roof, the flower beds are a mess, there are random piles of debris in the yard, and there are trees LITERALLY growing out of the rain gutters! Then I secretly wonder if the real estate agent even mentioned the exterior issues in the Listing Presentation or, if they just kept quiet and were thankful just to get the listing. Maybe some just don't care. I don't know. I personally would rather be upfront and tell the Seller that they need to address those issues before I take the listing. And most happily do so. They are motivated and they want to sell their house. Every once in awhile I'll turn down a listing because in my heart I know it would take forever to sell that house even at a discounted price. Now, for the Seniors I work with, I try to find someone capable of performing the job for them at the least minimum cost, that includes finding someone able to help them reduce all the clutter they have accumulated over the years. If they have children (my age) I usually just give them some pointers and they take care of the rest. I've been known to get in there and lend a hand as well.

But, in this period where the average "Days on Market" exceeds 200 in some areas you would think more Sellers would be tuned into this. They should want their house to be the shining jewel of the block! I look at it this way, if I were a Buyer and I was driving by one Saturday morning to see if this was a house I wanted my Realtor to check on for me...I would pass it by. Because if the outside looks rough then there's a very good chance the interior might even be in worse condition.

So, if you are thinking about selling your present home or buying a new one...keep this in mind. But, hey...you probably know this already and are way ahead of the game. Well, I'd love to tell you more but, you see...I have a few bushes in my own yard I need to trim. :-)

Peace to all,

-Keith

RE/MAX Olympic, Manassas, VA
Http://www.MyRealtorKeith.com