Curb appeal is considered by many to be the best marketing tactic for selling a respective property, and for good reason.
Nothing else, at least that I am aware of, has the potential to attract more prospective buyers than a good looking home. At the very least, a well-maintained front yard will increase exposure and interest, two invaluable aspects of selling a home in a timely and profitable manner.
However, much like the housing market itself, the way we view curb appeal is constantly shifting.
That said, I encourage those looking to sell their property to adapt to today’s standards. Although traditional methods still work, there are alternative perspectives that could give you the upper hand.
Curb appeal is essentially a mechanism in which sellers can encourage buyers to continue inquiring about a property.
What’s more, the right projects could increase interest in your property exponentially. In my opinion, sellers can’t afford not to implement the following strategies on their next listing:
Extend your curb appeal
Curb appeal has one purpose: to convince buyers that the home is worth going inside. However, what if curb appeal extended beyond the front yard? What if there was a way to maximize your curb appeal beyond the traditional sense and for a relatively small investment cost?
It’s time that we started valuing online curb appeal as much as the properties themselves. Online real estate photography, for that matter, has never been more important than it is today.
The advent of technology has already seen more and more homebuyers start their home searches on the internet.
That means the majority of people who are likely to view your property are doing so online before they ever see it in person. Sellers are, therefore, advised to maximize their home’s curb appeal online and in person.
With online searches dominating the market, there is no easier way to generate curb appeal than with the help of a good photographer.
Using just a little ingenuity and a nice camera, it is entirely possible to make the home more attractive to buyers online, which is increasingly becoming the most important landscape in the real estate industry.
Get photos that highlight the home’s best features and genuinely contribute to its overall aesthetics. People are naturally more inclined to favor high-quality photographs over those that were taken without an emphasis on showcasing the property in its best light.
Above all else, remember one thing: great curb appeal is contingent on whether it convinces potential buyers that a property is worth looking into. The sooner you can encourage potential buyers to walk in the front door, the better off you will be.
Implement low-maintenance landscaping
Again, nothing new here: great landscaping is practically the cornerstone of curb appeal. However, the idea of a well-maintained front yard is the epitome of subjectivity.
Everyone has his or her own opinion as to what a properly groomed front yard should look like. Every successful real estate professional, for that matter, will have his or her own opinion as well.
Remember, the idea is not to force the features of the front yard to fit what you deem appropriate, but rather what the majority of buyers will find attractive.
In fact, I strongly advise against putting any personal touches into the landscaping at all; you could scare away potential buyers before they even see the inside of the property.
Consequently, you should place an emphasis on catering to the widest audience possible.
It is on the individual seller to see to it that their curb appeal matches the market’s demand. Fortunately, we live and work in an era in which we can react to what the market is telling us.
For what it’s worth, millennials are expected to make up the largest pool of buyers for the second year in a row. And, as luck would have it, they have already told us what they would like to see in their next property: low-maintenance.
A recent MRIS survey found that nearly half of its respondents placed a priority on low-maintenance features. That means your landscaping should not only draw on aesthetically pleasing features but also those that are easy to maintain.
Grass, though wildly popular, can be a bit overwhelming for those that are looking to move into their first property. Yard maintenance alone can cost either a lot of money or a lot of time.
That’s why I recommend steering away from grass this year.
Millennials and first-time buyers have already spent a large chunk of change on their down payment; the last thing they want to do is put more money into the house after they take ownership.
Sellers should keep the landscaping maintenance to a minimum.
Consider using indigenous plants that don’t require more than the standard level of upkeep. Depending on the area, you might even want to consider artificial grass or rocks.
It has been said that a prospective homebuyer will make up his or her mind in a matter of seconds. Sellers must, therefore, make a great first impression with their overall curb appeal. After all, if you can’t get buyers to come inside the property, how will you ever sell them on the home?
If you feel like all of your attempts to add curb appeal have fallen flat, I encourage you to think outside of the box. These two strategies might be just what your listing needs to gain the attention it deserves.
Than Merrill is the founder and CEO of FortuneBuilders and CT Homes. Connect with Than on LinkedIn or follow him on Twitter @ThanMerrill.
