First impressions count – especially when it comes to selling property

Jan. 11, 2011 - PRLog -- CORONADO, CA – In a real estate market flooded with homes competing for buyers’ attentions, sellers can no longer afford to overlook the exterior appeal of their homes. In fact, according to a Gallop survey, quality landscaping can add anywhere from 7 to fifteen percent to a home’s value.  Additionally, 82 percent of practitioners polled in a Real Estate Agent Community Trends survey said that buyers who were unimpressed with a house’s curb appeal often wouldn’t even consider looking inside.

“I’ve had showings scheduled where clients have literally changed their minds on the spot after seeing an unkempt front yard,” said Ruth Ann Fisher, broker for Del Realty at the Hotel del Coronado. “The importance of a home’s exterior appeal really can’t be emphasized enough.”

To help ensure that your property doesn’t get overlooked, Del Realty offers the following tips to boost the outward appearance of your home.

1. Make sure your lawn is mowed and well kempt.
2. Create sharp, clean, crisp lines by trimming along all edges to ensure that there are no stray pieces of grass or weeds.
3. Remove debris and clutter from your yard. Buyers may not be able to look past a messy exterior to see a home’s true potential.
4. Make the best use of color: If your yard is on the smaller size, make it seem larger by planting blue, purple or light pink flowers. These colors have been shown to recede giving the impression of a larger area.
5. Repaint peeling decks and fences. You don’t want buyers to think that they’ll have to repaint the minute they move in.
6. Roll up hoses and place them in a spot where they won’t be in the way.
7. Wash and clean your windows so that they sparkle.
8. Pressure wash dirty siding and dingy decks.
9. Check outdoor lighting to make sure everything works. There’s nothing more uninviting than a dark house.
10. Lastly, if you have an irrigation system, program it so that it won’t go off during showing hours. An unexpected shower could negatively affect your client’s opinion of the property.

Del Realty is a full-service real estate company specializing in Coronado, Beach Village at The Hotel Del and surrounding San Diego communities. For more information call 619-437-1888 or visit http://www.HotelDelRealty.com , http://www.facebook.com/DelRealty  and http://twitter.com/del_realty

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Located at the historic Hotel del Coronado, Del Realty is
a full service real estate office specializing in sales, leasing, and vacation rentals in Coronado and the surrounding San Diego communities.