Curb Appeal

Or otherwise known as what someone sees when they arrive at your house and are at the curb. In selling a home it is the first impression so it better be good. But whether selling or not your curb appeal is important. You want your guests and neighbors to feel welcome. However, most people never go outside their home to the curb and just look at their house. Is the entry welcoming? Is it accessible, well lit, does it have appeal?

For me as a stager there are two principles I apply to every home, if possible, that there are fresh plants by the front door and a place to sit. This gives a home buyer the feeling that the owner has been waiting for them, with a place to sit and talk, smell the flowers and stay awhile - even buy the place and stay longer. You can apply the same principles to your guests - even yourself.

First try to have a place to sit - a chair, a bench, or even just a landing. And because landscaping isn't right next to the front door add a pot or two with plants and some blooming flowers. Your local flower nursery can pot it for you, but it is easy to do it yourself. And always try to update your pots each season with one or two seasonal blooming flowers in the pot. But make sure that you don't have too many pots that it becomes an obstacle to get to your front door. I have seen this too many times and suddenly a welcome turns into a maze through the pots.

And finally, give the porch a good cleaning. Sweep the corners. Get ride of those cobwebs. And give the front door a good wipe down too, especially the handle. And then walk out to your curb and look at your home, would you feel welcome to come and stay for awhile? If yes, then sit down and smell the roses!