Sellers think once their home is listed online there's little left to do but wait for offers to pour in. Wrong! We found this article by PJ Wade with 5 great tips to working on your home's curb appeal.

Especially if you're selling your home in the Perry Hill, Blush Hill, Shaw Mansion, Kneeland Flats, Loomis Hill, and many other Waterbury/Stowe neighborhoods, curb appeal is king. The work of drawing prospective buyers out of their cars and through the front door has just begun. Most buyers want to get inside a property before they'll make an offer, but if they don't like the home's exterior, they won't easily be enticed inside.

Properties that look great online — descriptions, dimensions, and video — still have to deliver curbside to be sold.

Homeowners must become their own "Curb Appeal Police," ready to be hyper-critical of every detail so the house shines in all respects — from the buyer's perspective!

#1. Target Buyers

Sellers want to attract those who will pay the most, but sellers do not automatically have a clear picture of this "who" they must win over. Ask your real estate professional to provide a profile of the buyers they are targeting in marketing and advertising campaigns. These details should help with curbside decisions of what to accent/minimize, and how to accomplish both efforts on a budget and timeline.

#2. Forget Your Personal Style

This can be a challenge for sellers who used their home as a canvas for their creative expression. Real estate professionals have learned that to attract significant interest, buyers must see the home as a welcoming canvas for their own creative expression — often very different from the current sellers'. Input from the listing and staging teams will help transform exterior surfaces and landscaping into a "buyer magnet." Check out design publications and sites, and drive by new homes and you'll discover that it's all about neutral shades, clean lines, and mimicking luxury properties.

#3. Not "Tart Up" But "Smarten Up"

Curbside views should not be cluttered or over-grown. Garish colors and over-done front gardens send the wrong message. Striking a balance between standing out for buyers and not being radically different from the neighborhood is key. Enticing buyers out of their car and in the front door is the objective.Which curbside details or impressions will speak to the quality and opportunity of the house? Understanding the target buyer viewpoint is key here.

4. Squeaky Clean Impresses

Particularly in grimy urban areas, sparkling clean building facades and windows are impressive. Manicured gardens and well-maintained driveways are also stand-outs. Keep touching up and polishing until a firm offer is signed and sealed. Until then, there’s no such thing as being too clean and fresh.

5. Curb Appeal: Up To and Thru The Front Door

The curbside first impression should continue to impress and welcome up to and through the front door to open on an immaculate, well-presented foyer.

The welcoming first view into the home should speak to the home's quality and to the loving-care the home has received.

With a clear idea of the "who" you wish to attract and professional knowledge of how to make your home appear a welcoming creative canvas from curbside, you and the property are now ready. Ideal buyers will want to make an offer on real estate that reflects their dreams — not the sellers'.

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