PREPARE YOUR HOUSE FOR TODAY'S COMPETITIVE MARKET!

Let's Get Your House Ready For Market!

Tips For the Exterior

In the Acadiana region of Louisiana, Spring is "the selling season."  People want to be able to get their families settled into a new home before school starts back up after summer vacation, so phones in real estate offices begin ringing in earnest usually the day after Mardi Gras (they started much earlier this year, though) and continue unabated until almost the end of summer.  So if you plan to sell, NOW is the time to do it!  Especially with today's low interest rates.  The key is to price your property well, and have it stand out from others so it will "speak" to buyers.

There are many ways to set your house apart.  But let's start with the most obvious - curb appeal.

1.   Set a pot or two of brightly colored seasonal flowers on the front porch, or flanking the door - red geraniums work especially well.

2.   Hose down the porch (restain the wood, if necessary), touch up chipped paint, and remove any mildew.

3.   If your front sidewalk is cracked and bumpy from problems with

nearby trees, think about replacing it; you don't necessarily have

to pave or put bricks - even pavers or stones with low-maintenance grass in between is an attractive (and safer) alternative to a lumpy, bumpy, unappealing sidewalk.

4.  Clean the glass in your front porch fixtures.  Polish the glass, take out any moths or other bodily remains that could put potential buyers into a negative mindframe before they even open the front door.

5.   Is your roof in good condition?  If not, replace missing shingles or ridge caps; if the roof is truly worn and at the end of its life, this could be a problem with both the appraisal and the insurability for a new owner - consider replacing it.

6.   Wash the windows!  Sparkling glass goes a long way toward making a good impression!

7.   Clean out the gutters and downspouts.

8.   Clean your mailbox.  It's amazing how easily overlooked that is - but how quickly a potential buyer will spot a dirty mailbox and think "maintenance issues."

9.   Is your doorbell working?  If not, replace it.

10. Is your door hardware out-of-date?  Shiny brass 1990s doorknobs and knockers scream "updates required" to a potential buyer.

11. Mulch the garden.  For a truly good effect, wet it with a hose just before you leave when a showing is scheduled; the darker, wet, sparkling mulch lends appeal to a garden.

12. Spritz up the front flower beds with some seasonal color.

13. Add some color - reasonable color - to your front door. 

If trim and door are all painted white, help made it pop

by adding a bright, welcoming color.  Nothing extreme, mind

you - a barn red, black, or dark green often does the trick.

14. Make sure your house numbers are visible and clean.  You certainly want potential buyers to be able to identify your house, especially if the For Sale sign has not yet been installed!

15. Sweep the porch and sidewalk, keeping them neat at all times.  First impressions only happen once!

16. Rake the lawn, and be sure to use an edger, where appropriate.

When prospective buyers drive up to your house, what do they see?  If you can't step back and view your house unemotionally, ask a friend or neighbor to be totally honest and tell you what they see; chances are, it's what a potential buyer would see.  And when your agent recommends changes, repairs or touch-ups, remember that the agent has experience and repeatedly hears the comments of clients as to how they view properties.

The next post will be how to make the inside of the house market-ready!

To surf the web for all Acadiana listings currently available on the net, visit my website and click on "Search MLS Listings":  http://www.justaskallen.com/mls.php

For information about our area, from restaurants to neighborhoods to schools, visit my main page and find the information you're looking for; remember, when it comes to real estate questions, Just Ask Allen!   www.justaskallen.com