Accessorize the Outside of Your Home

October 5, 2017

Before putting your home on the market, add character and charm by accessorizing the outside. From upgrading the mailbox and light fixtures to adding outdoor furniture, you can increase your odds of selling your property in a seller’s market.

Here are exclusive tips from a few Long & Foster managers and agents.

Upgrade the mailbox and light fixtures. For potential homebuyers driving by, the mailbox is likely one of the first components of your home they see. Make sure it is in excellent condition and the house numbers on your mailbox are legible and straight, suggests Adam Gelb, an agent in Long & Foster’s Bethesda, Maryland, office. If it is battered, it may even be worth replacing. Your mailbox, light fixtures and additional hardware should not only be new and modern, but they should coordinate, too, Hala Adra, an agent in Long & Foster’s McLean, Virginia, office adds. A contemporary design and color might be just the ticket to attracting your homebuyer.

Make your front door stand out. “Create a lasting first impression with a front door that pops,” said Becky Hatch, manager of Long & Foster’s Harbour Pointe office in Richmond, Virginia. You can easily and inexpensively add character and zest to the outside of your home with a can of paint and by choosing a distinctive door color. A simple, seasonal wreath on your front door can be a great addition, suggests Fatima Pereira-Shepherd, manager of Long & Foster’s Annandale, Virginia, office. And finish it off by adding a welcoming touch with a new, clean door mat.

Add color to your home’s exterior with flowers. You can enhance the curb appeal of your home by installing window boxes and planters with greenery and nice, colorful flowers. Revive your flowerbeds by adding fresh mulch and flowers that will complement the colors of your home and front door, suggests Pereira-Shepherd. Be sure to keep your home current with the season by changing out the flowers, yard flags and wreaths.

Add outdoor furniture. Welcome your guests with a bench or rocking chair, suggests Adra. Or you can add personality and flare with a modern art chair.  Either way, outdoor furniture will add a hint of color, and it might just encourage your guests to stay a while.

“The very first picture homebuyers will see online is the exterior of your home,” said Hatch. “Make it a memorable one.”