You know that feeling you get when you drive by a house with an immaculate lawn and gardens? You’re in awe and can imagine yourself sitting on the porch with a cup of coffee, enjoying your surroundings. As you prepare to sell your house, consider creating that same feeling for homebuyers when they drive by your property. 

Just by upgrading your landscaping, 

your home will show better than other listings for sale.  

If you want to quickly capture the attention of potential home buyers as they drive by your house this fall, focus on curb appeal. Does your front yard “wow” people, or do they yawn when they see your lawn? Unkept yards can leave homebuyers feeling overwhelmed. Make a positive impression using these tips to dress up your yard, attract more home buyers and promote a quicker sale this fall. 

Front Door

Your front door should be inviting to home buyers. If you have a weathered wooden door, consider sanding it and applying a fresh coat of stain. Another great option is to apply an attractive paint color to the front door to draw buyers in. If you’ve got a screen door, replacing the screen is an affordable upgrade that won’t go unnoticed. You may need to replace the front door entirely, but it will be worth it when the home improvement leads to an offer on your house!

• Sand and stain a wooden door
• Paint the door an attractive color
• Replace the screen
• Replace the door
  

Lighting

Keep in mind that potential buyers will drive by your house a various times throughout the day, so lighting is essential. Consider a new porch light next to your front door. Add attractive solar lighting along your walkway or front garden. Great lighting will draw buyers to the front of the house and create a lasting impression.  

• - Porchlight
• - Accent lighting along the walkway
• - Uplighting to highlight a unique tree/shrub (ex. Japanese Maple)

Trees & Shrubs

An easy way to improve the look of your property is by trimming the trees and shrubs. Overgrown shrubs can be shaped to become a focal point of your yard vs. an eye-sorer. Prune trees to remove dead or obtrusive branches. Potential home buyers will appreciate the time you took to refine the trees and shrubs to make your front yard even more welcoming.

If you want to add a few small shrubs to the front of your home, consider the dwarf variety. Not only will they tuck into your garden nicely, the new owners will also appreciate that many of the dwarf shrub varieties do not have to be trimmed each year (consult with your local nursery). You might consider a few types of dwarf shrubs: Tater TotⓇ Arborvitae, Fire Light TidbitⓇ Hydrangea, and Cesky GoldⓇ Dwarf Birch. These shrubs will add some dimension, color, and new life to your property.

Lawn

Keep the lawn trimmed to attract more attention from potential home buyers. Also, use a lawn edger to cut back grass that has grown over the edge of sidewalks and the driveway.  

If you have portions of your lawn that have died, rake the area to loosen the soil and add grass seed. Water the seeded areas daily, or as often as necessary, to keep the soil moist and establish the new grass.  

Show home buyers that you take pride in how your yard looks by using a leaf blower to keep dead leaves off the lawn this fall. Removing falling leave may also leave the potential home buyer with the impression that the yard is manageable, another excellent selling point.

“You only get one chance to make a first impression.”

Flowers

An inexpensive way to draw more attention to the front of your home is to add seasonal flowers. For fall, this might include mums, a dried wreath, and gourds or pumpkins. Add flowers to the gardens or in pots near the front steps of your home. Don’t forget to add mulch to your flower gardens to keep them looking fresh and well-tended. Avoid adding Halloween decorations to your front yard, as it might not appeal to all home buyers.

Upgrading your landscaping can increase the value of your home by 10-12%. - Turf Magazine

Windows

Clean your windows inside and out, or hire a professional, to make a positive impression on homebuyers. Not only will your windows sparkle from the outside, but they will also let more light in and impress home buyers as they walk through your house.

Consider painting the window panes black instead of white to upgrade the look of your home. Black window panes will give your home a fresh and modern look that will attract potential home buyers.

Garage Door

If your garage door faces the front of your property, you might consider replacing it. Although this is one of the more expensive improvements mentioned in this article, adding a modern garage door can completely change the look of your home and improve the value.  

Conclusion

When you improve your home's curb appeal, you attract more home buyers and increase the chance of selling your home in less time. Clean the windows, trim the shrubs, paint the front door, plant some seasonal flowers, and replace the garage door if your budget allows. These exterior updates will not only make the appearance of your property go from good to excellent, but your listing photos will also pop! I look forward to seeing a “sold” sign in front of your beautiful home!