The New Curb Appeal

June 03, 2010 at 07:00 PM · Posted under Essam Elsafy

For years Realtors have known the importance of curb appeal when selling a home. Making an immediate first impression on a prospective buyer is critical to getting them excited about your home before they even step inside. Overcoming a bad first impression is difficult, so we want them thinking good things right away.

Twenty years ago buyers formed that first impression by driving up to the house. But today, that critical first impression is not made when they pull up to the house. Heavens no. Now, the new curb appeal happens online – well before the buyer ever gets near your home. And if you don’t look GREAT online, the buyer won’t bother to schedule a showing.

Here are a few tips:

• Have your Realtor send you a link to how your home looks on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). MLS is what most Realtors see when determining if they should recommend a home to their buyers.



• Look at your home on the company website of your Realtor.



• Look at your home on national websites like Realtor.com and YouTube.

If the information and photos don’t look GREAT, then you need to make a change. Remember that the photos shouldn’t be about documenting every room of the house. They should have one singular purpose – to get a prospective buyer to schedule a showing. Period. If a picture or ad copy doesn’t contribute toward that goal, then it should be changed.

As we move into summer, invest in sprucing up the exterior attractiveness of your home. Start with general cleaning, window washing, touching up paint (especially the front door), and replacing light bulbs. Your lawn should be green and mowed frequently. Trim the shrubs, edge the sidewalks (has great visual impact), add fresh mulch, and enhance with colorful flowers.

You have high expectations of your Realtor to market your home and negotiate strongly on your behalf. But the condition and appeal of the home is your job. It’s the one thing in the process that you control. Realtor and home owner working together, each doing their job well will get your home sold!

Email me anytime for more help on getting your home sold.

Posted by:  Essam Elsafy

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Home Staging for a Timely Sell

November 24, 2009 at 04:32 PM · Posted under Essam Elsafy

Staging your home and communicating an “I Care” attitude is very important if you want to get your home sold for the best value and in a timely manner. Help us merchandise your home. Just like a showroom, the interior of your home needs to appear in “perfect” condition everyday! We know it is a lot of trouble but it will make all the difference.

• Make sure each room sparkles! Make sure beds are made, bathrooms and kitchen are clean and carpets are vacuumed. (It’s especially important that the bathroom and kitchen are spotless.)
• Organize closets.
• Make sure all of your appliances and fixtures work.
• Repair leaky faucets and frayed cords.
• Make sure the house smells good: from an apple pie or cookies baking (Hide the kitty litter.)
• Put vases of fresh flowers throughout the house weekly.
• Having pleasant background music playing will also help set the stage for each showing.

Front Porch After Staging

Front Porch Before Staging

Staging the exterior of your home is important too! Always keep the exterior of your home looking great! If buyers are not attracted to your curb appeal- they will never see the inside.

• Be sure the doorbell works.
• Sweep the sidewalk, mow the lawn, prune the bushes, and weed the garden and clean debris from the yard.
• Clean the windows (both inside and out) and make sure the paint is not chipped or flaking.
• Add seasonal flowers or greens to make your home more inviting.

Just a Reminder…

Please be out of the house whenever a showing is scheduled- even with little notice or an appointment.

Posted By: Essam Elsafy

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