1. get top dollar home seller newsletter
it’s a goodlife
the secret to curb appeal
market include fix the driveway, landscape
spend a little… the yard, paint the exterior, and paint or
replace the front door.
get a lot
improving the appearance of the drive-
• don’t have time to keep way can be as easy and inexpensive as
the house clean? consider cleaning up oil spills, pressure washing to
hiring a cleaning service to remove mildew or moving extra cars to an-
keep your house in shape other location.
while it is on the market.
for damaged driveways, excessive cracks
• make sure the stairways may be more unsightly if they are filled with
are safe by freeing them of patches. in this case, resurfacing the drive-
toys or slippery mats, se- way may be necessary.
curing the handrail and
installing good lighting. curb appeal is real estate talk for landscaping and lawn maintenance create
the initial appearance, and the impres- the backdrop for the house. like the scenery
• don’t wait until the last sion it makes, of the house as seen in a play production, it showcases the main
minute to call professional from the road. it is what the buyer attraction. you want your yard to look like a
painters because their sees and feels as she parks her car golf course fairway-lush, green and meticu-
schedules may be filled. across the street, crosses the road, lously maintained. this requires filling bare
hire them as soon as you strolls up the front walkway and pauses spots with grass plugs or sod, applying fertil-
make the decision to sell. to knock on the door. curb appeal in- izer and bug killer and regularly watering
cludes the overall neighborhood, the the lawn.
• keep your lawn looking house’s location on the block, condi-
thick and green by fertiliz- tion of landscaping, the overall look of for those with little spare time, it may be
ing during the appropriate the house and attention to details. worth the money to hire a maintenance ser-
season. vice to shape up your yard and keep it main-
it only takes a little ‘irritant’ to tained as long as your house is on the mar-
cause a prospective buyer to keep on ket.
driving past your house. weeds, peel-
ing paint, or tacky lawn ornaments can add some color with a flowerbed or two of
create enough doubt to make them go various annuals. a newly mowed and edged
elsewhere. lawn accented with flowers makes a good
first impression. the yard should look clean
luckily, most of the little irritants and green...with a few splashes of color.
can be corrected with a little time, a
bit of money and an open mind. (continued on reverse)
most real estate experts agree that
the most important steps to take in
preparing a house to be put on the
512.892.9473 • www.goodlifeteam.com
1114 east cesar chavez • austin, tx 78702

2. the secret to curb appeal (continued)
of course, once the lawn is golf course the front door is the transition area. at its
quality, you don’t want to spoil the effect best, it carries the pleasant look of the lawn-and
with a cluttered yard. neatly trim bushes and the opinion of the buyer-over the threshold of
hedges so they accent the yard. keep leaves the house. at worst, it undoes everything you
raked and walkways swept daily. trash cans, achieved with the lawn and casts pallor on the
hoses, yard tools and toys should be stored in rest of the house. the buyer won’t miss the en-
the garage or a shed. and while lawn orna- tryway, so don’t overlook it. pressure clean the
ments-pink flamingos, elves or concrete front steps, railings, and door. clean out light
geese -may make your life brighter, someone fixtures, replace burned out bulbs and fix the
else might find them offensive. Put them in broken doorbell. if the door is solid and in good
storage. working condition, give it a fresh coat of paint. If
it is damaged, cheaply made or otherwise un-
want the most dramatic improvement in sightly, invest in a new, hardwood door. when
appearance for the best value? paint the ex- this is done, add the final touch to the threshold:
terior of your house, including trim, window a brand new doormat. after all, with all the work
frames, shutters, gutters and downspouts, you just finished doing to spruce up the place,
mailbox and front door. opt for neutral you want buyers to feel welcome.
shades of white, light gray, or pale beige.
if the existing paint on the outer walls is in
good shape, consider touching up everything
else in the list. this will make the house look
brighter.
how to avoid the most expensive finding the right real estate agent can
mistakes smart people make when they make all the difference in the sale of
sell a home... your home...
mistake #3: trying to SELL their house when
critical questions to ask: how many homes have
buyers come to see it.
you listed in the past six months?
as your real estate consultant, we will encourage look for an agent who is active in your area and has
you to be away from the house during showings. experience dealing with homes and situations like
one of the biggest mistakes enthusiastic home yours. this is especially critical if your home or
sellers make is to follow buyers around and try to transaction has special features or terms that may
SELL them on the property. the best thing is to stay make it more challenging than the typical home sale.
out of the way, and let people look at their own
pace; they will get a better feel for the property and
whether it is the house for them.
512.892.9473 • www.goodlifeteam.com
1114 east cesar chavez • austin, tx 78702