Hammond Residential Real Estate
Michael Rothstein, GRI , Hammond Residential Real EstatePhone: (617) 470-3165
Email: [email protected]

Easy Tips to Brighten Your Curb Appeal

by Michael Rothstein, GRI 05/13/2019

If you’ve done even cursory research on selling your home, you’ve heard “curb appeal,” “curb appeals,” and “curb appeal.” Since you know that buyers hear “location,” “location,” and “location,” the best thing you can do to make your location stand out is to flaunt your stuff. That doesn’t mean you have to undertake significant landscaping projects or renovations. Consider a few simple adjustments to your home’s initial presentation to see substantial results.

First impressions

  • Neat and tidy. Before launching into expensive outdoor projects, take a moment to view your home from the street. Better yet, step across the street and take a look at your house and those of your neighbors. Do you have weeds? Is your lawn trimmed? Do you edge it along the sidewalks and flower beds? Do you have dry, yellow, or bare patches? Start with greening up the lawn. Give it some water and fertilizer. Trim it up and neaten around the edge. If you’re considering selling your home shortly, hire a professional lawn service to get your green stuff in top shape.
  • Next, look for cracks, broken hinges, shutters sitting askew, wobbly fence posts and other items that need some maintenance. You don’t need to remodel the outside if you’ve kept it sharply maintained.
  • Check your walking paths. Are there loose bricks or stones? Reset them in place. Is the concrete chipped and broken? You can tackle filling in the cracks yourself with easy mix cement from your local DIY store or hire a pro to repair it for you. Often, you don’t need to tear up the whole walkway; you can fix only the broken section.
  • Hide anything ugly. Often, it’s not what you’ve put in your yard, but things you have no choice about that hinder your curb appeal. If you have utility boxes, meters, and other eyesores that you can’t move, hide them. Place a flower bed with taller bushes to the street side of utility boxes in the lawn, or a couple of potted plants in front of a meter next to the front door. Make sure you don’t block the meter or box itself though since your utility provider needs access.
  • Add some lipstick. Put a fresh coat of paint on the front door and a coordinating color on the shutters. Make sure paint on any trim on the front of the house is not peeling or chipped.

Your property professional can advise you on the first impression improvements to complete on your home, so reach out and seek their advice.

About the Author
Author

Michael Rothstein, GRI

Active in residential brokerage since 1985, Michael enjoys a loyal following of past buyers and sellers. Prior to entering brokerage, he studied culinary arts and managed restaurants in the Boston area. Born and raised in Newton, Michael is very familiar with the Greater Boston area. His seven-day-a-week commitment to his profession serves his clients and customers well. His educational background includes The Johnson & Wales Culinary Institute, The Lee Institute for Real Estate, and The Tom Hopkins and Floyd Wickman Sales Training courses. 

In recognition of his completion of the prescribed courses in real estate practice and ethics, Michael has earned the distinguished GRI (Graduate, Realtor Institute) designation. He continues his long-standing membership in the National Association of Realtors and is an avid fly fisherman, musician, and outdoor enthusiast. 

Michael was awarded the International President's Circle Award for sales expertise, market knowledge, and dedication to clients for 2020 and 2021. In 2022 and 2023 he was awarded the International Presidents Elite Award, representing the Top 2% of Hammond Residential & Coldwell Banker Agents Worldwide, for demonstrating exceptional sales production, ambition and his commitment to the Real Estate Industry.