BUYERS JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER
Getting Your Great Outdoors in Gear
NORTHBROOK, Ill. (March 29, 2010) – As true as the old saying “you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover” may be, many homebuyers don’t always heed its advice. So as the region begins to thaw out from another cold winter, the warm weather opens up another area that sellers need to ensure is in tip-top shape – the yard. According to an annual survey of homebuyer preferences by AVID Ratings Co., outdoor living space made the list of top 10 must-have features.
“What your home offers outdoors can be just as important as what it offers inside,” said Fran Broude, president and COO of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. “So step into a buyer’s shoes and consider the ways you can make your outdoor space more livable, and ultimately desirable.”
Set the stage outdoors to better showcase your property:
• Spring clean. Winter weather can wreck havoc on outside features. Repair any loose bricks in walkways and mend loose boards in the deck. Consider power washing concrete patios or steps that may have gotten stained during the winter months by leaves and debris trapped under layers of snow and ice.
• Highlight focal points. Front doors, garden gates, large trees, or a wide front porch are strong focal points for your home. Highlight these exterior gems by planting flowers that will hold up through spring or potting decorative plants. Ask your Realtor for an objective, third-party opinion on what you should emphasize to make your front yard shine.
• Work what you’ve got. Tell a story through your home’s outdoor amenities – whether it’s a front porch, a backyard patio or a child’s play set. Work with your Realtor to stage these areas so buyers can visualize themselves enjoying those spaces in the future. Use the tools you have to create an eye-catching outdoor seating area or romantic garden.
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, a leading residential real estate brokerage company serving Chicagoland, Northwest Indiana, Southeast Wisconsin and Southwest Michigan, operates 57 offices with more than 3,700 sales associates. Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage is part of NRT LLC, the nation’s largest residential real estate brokerage company. NRT, a subsidiary of Realogy Corporation, operates Realogy’s company-owned real estate brokerage offices. For more information, please visit www.coldwellbankeronline.com.
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