Community Corner

Curb Appeal... With This Weather? You Bet.

It doesn't take much to make your Golden Valley home stand out proudly among the snow and mud.

Every week, we invite local real estate agents to give insight on the housing market in Golden Valley, ways to increase the value of your home or ideas for easy home improvements that have a nice return on investment.  If you're a local realtor and would like to contribute to Golden Valley Patch, just email our editor.

This week's column comes from realtors Heather Winsand and Jennifer Strangis, both of Edina Realty.

Driving down Golden Valley Road is usually a lovely thing as you take in with its snowy hills in the winter and fields of green in the summer.  But during this time of transition, even our most beautiful sights are looking drab.

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Whether you're selling your home or you're just tired of the outside of your home looking sad, we've got some ideas to quickly perk things up a bit. 

Yes, curb appeal is possible to achieve right now, and here's how:

  • Shovel!

No matter what the weather, you should always have a clean driveway and front walk.  It doesn't just make things look better, it makes things safer... for your guests or for potetial buyers.

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  • Declutter!

Remove random stuff from the yard/driveway.  Potential buyers can be distracted by little things like kids' toys, shovels, extra cars, garbage cans/bins, garden pots that have dead flowers in them, etc.  You want buyers and your family and friends to notice your homes, not the junk around it.

  • Remove holiday decorations (i.e. Christmas lights) and add a new welcome mat.

The pride in your home is often found in your attention to detail.  If you show you care enough to pay attention to details outside, then buyers will expect you pay attention to detils inside the home, too.

The same thing goes for exterior lights.  If a buyers sees old gold brass light fixtures they will assume the same are on the inside.

  • Don't forget the front door.

It's amazing what some 409 or the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser can do to clean it up.  Replace the front door knob if it is dated (gold brass).  If you have a storm door, make sure the glass is clean too! 

To accentuate the entrance, hang a dried flower wreath or something on your front door (Williams Sonoma online, Pottery Barn, Michaels, Target all have these).  It's also an easy way to bring in some color while the snow is melting.

  • Touch up exterior paint

It'll be 60 degrees in a few days, and that's the perfect time to focus on trim, the front door, the garage and even the exterior house paint.  Several months of snow have covered up imperfections or even created them, so take a close look - what looked great last summer might need to be tweaked this year.

  • Turn on the lights

You put in the work to make your home look good, so show it off!  Leave exterior lights on at night for showings and for potential buyers who might just drive by before deciding to actually attend a showing or make an appointment.  Make sure all of the light bulbs are in working order.  One broken bulb can be all it takes to distract from all your hard work.

  • Have another set of eyes do a once-over.

Ask your real estate agent or even just an honest friend or family member to take a look at the front of your home.  When we're looking at the same house every day, it's easy to miss details that need a little work, so ask someone who doesn't drop by every day to give their first impression.

 

If you have other questions to improve the look and value of your home, give us a call.  We work in the west and northwest metro and know what buyers are looking for in Golden Valley... and we know some of the secrets of successful sales.

****

Heather Winsand
Edina Realty - Maple Grove
Direct:  (763) 494-8137
Email:  heatherwinsand@edinarealty.com
Website:  www.heatherwinsand.edinarealty.com
Twitter profile:  http://twitter.com/WinsandRealtor
Facebook:  Heather Winsand of Edina Realty

Jennifer Strangis
Realtor ®, SFR, AHWD, Exceptional Properties
Edina Realty | Maple Grove Office

Direct: (763) 494-8104
Email: jenniferstrangis@edinarealty.com
Website: www.jenniferstrangis.com


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