Curb Appeal “Don’ts” for Northern Virginia Home Sellers
Many Northern Virginia home sellers put a lot of time into staging and cleaning the interior of their home to sell, but do nothing to the front yard. Curb appeal provides potential buyers with a strong first impression. You want potential buyers to instantly feel like the listing price is a really good deal. If you neglect your front yard many will start deducting from that asking price before they even walk through the door.
- Don’t Neglect the Lawn – The one time your lawn gets out of control will be the one day three different buyers happen to be driving through the neighborhood.
- Don’t Let Weeds Grow – The one bad thing about weeds is they seem to pop up overnight. You can pull weeds today and two days from now it will seem like they all doubled. Make pulling weeds part of your daily routine and it will only take a couple minutes.
- Don’t Be Scared to Mulch – Mulch has a way of instantly improving curb appeal. It offers a neat and polished look. Plus, if you add mulch to your flower beds and around trees then you should only have to pull weeds growing from cracks in the sidewalk and driveway.
- Don’t Let Spent Plants Decompose – Your front yard should not look like purgatory for spent plants! Bury them or add them to your compost pile.
- Don’t Allow Water Elements to Get Dirty – If you have water fountains or birdbaths it is really important that these stay clean and full of fresh water. Water brings energy to an outdoor space, but dirty, smelly water has the opposite effect. Plus, dirty water is really bad for your feathered friends.
- Don’t Plant Exotics – People see exotic plants and instantly associate them with work. Not everyone has a green thumb or the desire to garden. So, if they are going to keep those high maintenance plants looking good they will need to hire a landscaper, and many will not want the expense in their budget.
- Don’t Ignore Leaves and Branches – The leaves and branches all over your yard certainly are not hurting anything, but they do make your yard appear unkempt. Move them to your compost pile.
- Don’t Overcrowd Plants – Too many plants and flowers in beds and pots is just as bad as not having enough. They will look busy, and they won’t be as beautiful, if they have to share the nutrients in the soil with too many others.
Curb appeal makes a big difference and it does not take that much work to maintain. Your front yard sets the tone for the rest of your property. Make sure it is sending the right message.