What Every Seller Should Know (Part 1)

As we near the deadline for the $8,000 tax credit, there has been a flood of information for first time home buyers. It seems like you can't read an online newspaper without seeing an article aimed at educating or encouraging all the buyers out there.

But what about sellers? I've heard from a few customers that they'd like to know more about how to maximize the value of their homes as they get ready to sell. Over the next few days, I'll be publishing a series of blog posts called "What Every Seller Should Know." Each post will deal with a new aspect of preparing your home for sale. Feel free to leave questions in the Comments section, and you cal always visit my Seller's Page for more information!

What Every Seller Should Know: Part 1

Understand the Value of Curb Appeal

When you list your house for sale, one of the first things your agent will do is take pictures of the outside. These pictures are likely to be the first thing most buyers will see, and you want them to be appealing. Real estate professionals call this "Curb appeal."


This is an example of bad curb appeal. What's wrong with it? Well. . . bare branches in the foreground, an unkempt lawn cluttered with bicycles, old furniture on the front porch, and a dingy air conditioning unit hanging out of a front window.
These characteristics don't add up to entice a Buyer, even though the home itself is freshly painted and in decent shape.

Here's a better example: Green grass and a leafy tree, mowed lawn with some well-maintained shrubs, and no excess clutter. These are the types of things that Buyer's might not consciously look for, but are drawn to just the same.

Each season comes with its own ways to make the most of your house's curb appeal; In the spring, a neatly maintained lawn with some flower beds or landscaping is great. In summer, if you can keep your lawn green, that's a huge help. (In Wichita, though, it's also a huge expense. If you know in springtime that you plan to list in summer, have your agent take exterior pictures before your grass turns brown.) In the fall, rake the fallen leaves out of your yard, and try to have pictures taken BEFORE the trees are bare. Winter is probably the toughest season to work with, but if you're stuck with it, try to get pictures taken when the ground is snow-covered. Shovel your walkways and driveway, turn all the lights on inside, and go for a "Christmas Card" look.

Regardless of the season, make your home inviting by leaving lights on in the front rooms, and porch lights too if it's after dark. Try to keep your yard free of toys, tools, or other equipment, and keep the lawn well-maintained in case someone does a drive-by viewing. Also, when your Realtor® does take pictures from the front yard, make sure they're taken either before a "For Sale" sign goes up, or from an angle that doesn't show the sign. The pictures are to advertise your house, not your Realtor®.

For more ideas about maximizing your house's curb appeal, browse through the internet or magazines in search of pictures of homes. Even if the pictures aren't Real Estate related, odds are they were staged to be attractive. Take your cues from how the professionals have done it. (A Google Image Search for "curb appeal" yields a bunch of great examples.)

Stay tuned for Part 2 of What Every Buyer Should Know, which will be about making cosmetic improvements to the interior of your house.

Now get out there and enjoy this beautiful weather! I'm headed out for a 5-mile run in Sedgwick County Park. It doesn't get much better than that :-)