Curb Appeal: The Initial Seduction

The buyer drove to your house and likes what he/she sees.

Now, you want to seduce your buyer into coming inside your

house—you can do this by taking some initial, do-it-yourself steps.

So, let’s get working on your house’s exterior to establish that initial

seduction!

How’s the Neighborhood?

One of the best things you can do is to observe your house

from a distance; for example, as you are driving through your

neighborhood, observe the neighborhood and other houses in it. Do

your neighbors keep up their houses? Are you located on a quiet,

family-friendly street?

The market, of course, will dictate how well your house sells;

at the right time, you may even get more than your asking price.

However, it all depends on whether your house is in marketable

condition, in an ideal location or surrounded by other higher-end

houses.

You cannot much control your house’s location; if you are in

the enviable position of having a house located in a ritzy

neighborhood or off a lake, you will not have to worry much about

getting your asking price. Many times, people buy the location as

much as the house.

However, if you live near an unsightly structure or directly off

a busy road, you may have to work with your real estate agent in

pushing the good points about the location. Is it close to schools and

religious centers? Is there easy highway access, which reduces travel

time to and from work? If so, make sure potential buyers know this.

Of course, another more sensitive issue that you might face is

your neighbors. If your neighbors leave junk in their yards or do not

keep up their property, it may be harder for you to sell your house,

because people do not want to move into neighborhoods they

perceive as old, trashy or run down.

Unfortunately, there is little you can do on this front. If you

have a good relationship with your neighbors, you can possibly talk

to them about your situation in trying to sell the house, as long as

you handle this delicate matter with tact and politeness. (You might

even volunteer to hire a grounds keeping service to touch up a

neighbor’s yard—but make sure your neighbors approve first).

Your neighbors might be experiencing rough times right now if

the head of household has been laid off.

Or perhaps the neighbors do not have time to upkeep their landscaping.
Perhaps, though, they just don’t care. Because there are so many reasons
why your neighbors may not be upkeeping their houses/yards, it is a
touchy subject for most to broach.

If you cannot talk to your neighbors or you do not feel

comfortable in doing so, you might be able to talk to the head of

your neighborhood board; check to see if your neighbors are

violating any established policies, and if so, ask the board to address

the issue.