As we move full swing into summer, here are a few thoughts to consider if you have your home listed for sale in Dufferin County.  First and foremost, please remember that the curb appeal of a home should be first and foremost in every seller’s mind.  When a prospective buyer pulls up in front of your home, what are they seeing?  Is the lawn cut and trimmed around trees and gardens?   Are the gardens weeded and well attended to?  Or are we seeing grass that hasn’t seen a lawn mower since last July and weeds that have turned the once beautiful perennial gardens in a mess of green?  Here is what should be front and centre in a seller’s mind.  A potential buyer is already making up his or her mind if they like the home before they even set a foot inside the front door.  If the yard doesn’t show well, you have an uphill battle to convince buyers that your home is the right one.  If the curb appeal and landscaping of your home shows the care and pride of ownership you have for your home, buyers will get the sense that the home is well cared for.  It’s all about first impressions.  So how can we set the stage to have a successful showing?

Let’s start by making sure the lawn is cut.  I know summertime can be a crazy time of the year.  Who hasn’t come to understand that mother nature likes putting all of our weekly dose of sunshine for the week into the Monday to Friday 8AM to 6PM time slot when everyone is at work and saves up all the rain for evenings and weekends when we are done up at work and headed home?  I know it can be a challenge; but, I would encourage you to find a window in the week to cut the lawn.  It speaks volumes to a potential buyer when they pull up to your home and the landscaping is pristine.  And speaking of pristine, let’s not forget to trim around gardens and bushes and weed those darn gardens!  It’s one of the least expensive ways to help give a buyer the best possible experience as they walk up the walkway to your front door.

If the paint on the front door, garage doors or trim needs a little love, splurge and buy a can of paint and a brush.  Again, it’s one of the least expensive ways to give the buyer that wow experience.  Something as simple as a coat of paint on the front trim can make you literally thousands of dollars.  Low investment and high return.

If your property has a swimming pool, make sure it’s open and if the weather is conducive, take the cover off.  Make sure it’s well treated with chemicals and not a cesspool for mosquitoes.  Put the cushions on the patio furniture and uncover the BBQ.  It’s these little things that make a world of difference and lasting first impressions.

And finally, my all-time favorite.  Please, please, please if you have a dog, especially one that leaves treats in the back yard the size of a small cow, clean up after them.  Nothing, and I mean nothing, is worse for a realtor or a client to be walking in your back yard and suddenly have a lovely mess gushing up between the toes of their sandals or all over their new shoes.  It can quickly ruin what was previously a great showing.  I have heard buyer clients invent new colourful, descriptive words when this happens.

It’s all simple stuff.  You don’t have to spend a lot to get high return on your investment.  Remember, when you list your Dufferin County home with us, our goal is to help you get the most money for your home in the least amount of time and eliminate as many bumps in the road as we can.  It’s not a perfect science but a push lawn mower and a pooper scooper can go a long way to making it a simpler experience.