12 Ways to Clean Up Your Curb Appeal

I’ve talked about things you can buy to improve your curb appeal, but you don’t have to spend a dime to make your house buyer-ready. In fact, this is a great time for Elbow Grease.

Here are 12 exterior details you should clean up before you sell your house:

1)      The yard. Mow the lawn, rake the leaves, and sweep the dirt off the sidewalks. But you already knew that.

2)      Your siding. Does your house have dirt or mold on its siding? Now is the time to scrub it. If you can’t do it with elbow grease, get it pressure-washed.

3)      Bee nests. You don’t want your potential buyers to be racing away from your house while desperately swatting at the wasps they disturbed when they opened the back door, do you? Now is the time to check for surprises.

4)      Cobwebs. Not only should you get rid of active infestations, but you should also clean up any other debris under the eaves and in windowsills, such as cobwebs or abandoned nests.

5)      Outdoor lights. These are magnets for dead bugs, aren’t they? Clean up those lights and make them shine. Dust off the blades on your porch fan while you’re at it.

6)      Porch furniture. You’re probably past the age where you keep a stuffed easy chair on the porch (although I confess I would still do it if my wife would let me get away with it.) But is your porch furniture clean? Maybe it’s time to scrub or repaint it.

7)      Doodads. Just as you want to reduce interior clutter, you should keep the doodads to a minimum. Pink flamingos and whirligigs are great, but their appeal is not universal.

8)      The carport. Somehow junk always seems to pile up in a carport, but unlike garages, carports don’t hide the things within them. If possible, keep your carport completely empty. Let your buyers park there.

9)      Moss on the roof. Unless you are a hobbit, you really shouldn’t have moss on the roof. It grows into the shingles and decays them. If you have a lot of moss on the roof, it’s probably time to re-roof your house. If there’s just a little moss, you can kill it with a solution of equal parts bleach and water. (Be careful not to get bleach on yourself or your shrubs).

10)   Under the house. Your buyers might not look under your house, but their home inspector certainly will. Clean out any debris and make it accessible. Better yet, lay down fresh plastic underlayment if it’s within your budget.

11)   Windows. Some say the eyes are the windows of the soul, but I might add that windows are the eyes of the house. Wash the windows and their sills, even on the upper stories if you can.

12)   Window wells. If your basement has windows with “wells” to keep out debris, make sure they are cleaned out.

As you prepare to sell your house, take a long look at the outside. Make sure it looks as fresh and clean as possible. After all, it’s the first thing your buyers will see.

Need help sprucing up? Call your local Asheville handyman.