BY ALLISON CAUDLE ABBOTT
EASY
UPDATES
TO GET YOUR HOME MARKET READY
Even with a strong real estate market, fi rst impressions are
still crucial to today’s home buyers. Let’s face it – they will
compare your house to what they see on the many popular
home decorating and renovation TV shows, along with new
construction homes that are currently available. Making
updates to get your house looking it’s can have a big return. The good news is that you can tackle some easy updates
to get your home market-ready in no time at
all. Th ese seemingly small changes can add up to
a big impact for how fresh and current your house
feels to potential buyers.
CURB APPEAL BOOST
Since fi rst impressions mean so much, start with several updates to
boost your home’s curb appeal. A few potted plants on the porch,
a welcoming door mat, perhaps a new door knob, and a bright
wreath hanging on the front door will go far in making the front
of your house look inviting to potential buyers.
In addition, power wash your driveway, sidewalk, and other hardscaped
surfaces such as your deck or patio. You can easily rent a
pressure washer from a local hardware shop or big box home improvement
store for a few hours – or hire a professional! You’ll be
amazed at how a pressure washer can erase decades of dirt, making
concrete so much brighter.
While windows may not be the fi rst thing an outsider notices,
they do draw people in. So it’s important to keep your windows
sparkling and totally streak-free. Remove streaks, dirt, and dust
that make your windows look dull and dirty and wash away mold
and mildew so they appear bright, clear, and beautiful. If this is too
much to tackle, again, hire a professional to do this for you.
Lastly, never underestimate the impact a freshly raked, weed-free,
manicured lawn; new mulch; and beautiful garden beds have when
it comes to making your landscape look fresh and crisp. So get
outside, get raking, get mowing, get planting, and get mulching!
THE SMALL THINGS
Start by turning a critical eye on everything in your house, specifi -
cally looking for anything that may turn off a potential buyer. Look
for things that need repair, such as a crooked cabinet door, chipped
tile, or missing knob, and fi x them. Other easy improvements include
switching out all air vents, replacing light switch plates, and
chalking in gaps between crown molding and the wall. All nail
holes in walls should be fi lled in and touched up with paint.
26 CIRCA Magazine | October • November • December 2020 | www.circamagazine.com
/www.circamagazine.com