Your Home's Exterior

Your home's exterior is the first thing a potential buyer sees when visiting your home. The following tips will help you increase your home's curbside appeal and create a strong first impression to potential home buyers:

Fence:

• Replace missing slats, stakes and posts.
• Repair broken hinges and paint or stain the fence if necessary.

Yard:

• Mow, trim and fertilize the lawn.
• Weed flower beds and replace dead plants and trees.

Driveway, Garage, Carport

• Clean up grease or oil spots on concrete surfaces.
• Make sure the garage door opens freely and the automatic door opener is working.
• Provide an unobstructed view of your home from the street by not parking cars, boats or other vehicles in the driveway.

Front Entry

• Polish door handles and door knockers.
• Replace worn or broken items, such as an unsightly mailbox or rusty doorbell.
• Be sure porch lights are working and add welcoming features such as a new door mat and flowering plants.

Siding and Trim:

• Consider painting the highlight features of your home, such as trim work, shutters, gutters, down spouts and railings.
• If necessary, add a fresh coat of exterior paint to the exterior siding.

Roof:

• Remove debris such as tree branches and leaves.
• Straighten the TV antenna.
• Make any necessary repairs to worn shingles or cracked surfaces.

Patio & Deck:

• Flowering plants and outdoor furniture add appeal.
• Remove any unnecessary items such as gardening equipment.
• Tidy any visible items, such as an outdoor grill or barbecue.