The huge dark house was more than unkempt – with crumbling walls, missing shingles, tall grass and broken windows – it looked sickly.

“Pam, with all due respect,” I said, “This place looks like it should have a thunder cloud over it.” She sighed.

“But it was cheap, really cheap. You just have to look past the issues. How else could I afford a house this size?”

Though Pam, an artist, could envision the house after cleaning and repairs, I was more like the average buyer – extremely doubtful. If I had been buying, I wouldn’t have stepped foot on the property.

Pam did get the house for about half the price of similar homes, meaning the seller made 50% less because he refused to do repairs to improve curb appeal.

Curb appeal refers to the initial impression a house makes when seen from the road. It’s what a buyer notices and feels as they park the car, cross the street, walk up the front walkway, and approach the door.

Curb appeal includes the overall neighbourhood, the house’s location on the block, condition of landscaping, the overall look of the house and attention to details.

A house doesn’t need to look dramatic to turn buyers away. Small issues – like weeds, peeling paint, or tacky lawn ornaments – can create enough doubt to make them look elsewhere.

Luckily, most of the little irritants can be corrected with a little time, a bit of money and an open mind.

Most real estate experts agree that the most important steps to take in preparing a house to be put on the market include fix the driveway, landscape the yard, paint the exterior, and paint or replace the front door.

Improving the appearance of the driveway can be as easy and inexpensive as cleaning up oil spills, pressure washing, or moving extra cars elsewhere.

For damaged driveways, excessive cracks may be more unsightly if they are filled with patches. In this case, resurfacing the driveway may be necessary.

Landscaping and lawn maintenance set the backdrop for the house, like scenery in a play, highlighting the main attraction. In his book Sell It Yourself, Ralph Roberts describes the ideal lawn as “a golf course fairway – lush, green and meticulously maintained.” Achieving this requires filling bare spots with grass plugs or sod, applying fertilizer and bug killer, and watering regularly.

For those with little spare time, it may be worth the money to hire a maintenance service to shape up your yard and keep it maintained as long as your house is on the market.

Add some colour with a flowerbed or two. A newly mowed lawn, accented with flowers makes a good first impression. The yard should look clean and green…with a few splashes of colour.

Once your lawn is golf course quality, avoid spoiling the effect with a cluttered yard. Trim bushes and hedges to complement the yard, rake leaves, and sweep walkways daily. Store trash cans, hoses, tools, and toys in the garage or shed. While lawn ornaments may brighten your life, others might find them off-putting, so put them in storage.

For the best value and most dramatic improvement, paint the exterior of your house, including trim, window frames, shutters, gutters, downspouts, and front door. Choose neutral shades like white, light gray, or pale beige for broader appeal.

If the existing paint on the outer walls is in good shape, consider touching up everything else in the list. This will make the house look brighter.

The front door is a key transition area. At its best, it reflects the lawn’s appeal and shapes the buyer’s impression of the house. At its worst, it can undo your efforts and cast a negative light on the home.

Buyers won’t overlook the entryway, so sellers shouldn’t either. Pressure clean the steps, railings, and door. Clean light fixtures, replace burned-out bulbs, and fix the doorbell.

If the door is in good condition, repaint it; if damaged or unattractive, invest in a new hardwood door. Finally, add a new doormat to welcome buyers after all your work.

By the way, Pam’s place now looks like a European country house, complete with shadow boxes, a wrought iron gate and English gardens. But the very first thing she did was paint the exterior… soft beige.

Spend a Little, Get a Lot

✅ Don’t have the time to keep the house clean? Consider hiring a cleaning service to keep your house in shape while it is on the market.

✅ If your carpet looks fine except for a few worn spots, have it professionally cleaned and then cover the imperfect areas with small rugs.

✅ Ensure stairways are safe by removing toys or slippery mats, securing the handrail, and adding good lighting.

✅ List your home during peak real estate seasons – spring and autumn – if possible.

✅ Don’t wait until the last minute to call professional painters because their schedules may be filled. Hire them as soon as you make the decision to sell.

✅ Fertilize your lawn during the right season to keep it thick and green.

Want to know what your home is worth?

Before you put your house on the market, you need to find out how much it’s worth in today’s market, so you can make your plans based on the most current information available.

We can prepare a detailed Pin-Point Price Analysis for you that shows the most current market activity in your area for homes like yours, and we can recommend an optimal marketing price range that will give you the best odds of selling quickly – and for top dollar!