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Does Your Home Have Curb Appeal?
Realtors nationwide agree
that curb appeal - an inviting exterior appearance - is the single
most important factor in enhancing the value of a residential
property. What is more, upgrades designed to improve curb appeal can
be fairly affordable and easy to undertake.
Top projects cover such basics as a thorough cleansing - especially
of windows; a fresh paint job; front-door replacement; the addition
of shutters and attractive lighting; thoughtful placement of
inviting outdoor furniture; and repair of broken concrete steps or
walkways. Sellers can also upgrade garage doors and mailboxes,
reseal an asphalt driveway, and clear away dead leaves and flowers
to show off a well-kept landscape.
While high curb appeal can help to justify a higher asking price for
a home, most real estate agents recommend avoiding big-ticket fixes
such as roof repairs because the seller generally will not recoup
all of the investment. In general, Realtors advise consumers to keep
the value of home improvements within 15 to 20 percent of other
properties in the neighborhood.
If a roof or other major exterior element is in dire need of
replacement, however, it is probably best to go ahead with the task.
Although the owner may not get back all of the replacement cost, the
upgrade could produce a faster sale - especially if the seller
throws in a warranty for the replaced item.
"Curb Appeal Adds Most Value to a House," Washington Times
(11/08/02) P. F1; Chappell, Carisa.
Abstracts Copyright © 2002;
Information Inc., Bethesda, Md.
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Tri State Realty, Inc.