Does curb appeal matter when selling a house?
First impressions count, and there’s only one time you can make a first impression.
First impressions matter, whether it’s how you dress for a job interview or the curb appeal of your Atlanta house—the view of your home from the street—when selling your property. The attractiveness of the front exterior of your house plays an important part when you are preparing your house for sale on the traditional market.
If the house and yard look messy, unkempt, and weedy, potential buyers may just drive away without even looking at the interior. Even if Atlanta house shoppers love the interior of your house, that first impression of your house’s curb appeal lingers and could affect their decision in a negative way.
The psychology of first impressions.
There’s a saying, “First impressions are last impressions.” Science backs that up somewhat. First impressions have been shown to last for months (Gunaydin, Selcuk, & Zayas, 2017) and affect personal judgments even in the presence of contradictory evidence.
The human brain is wired to make very fast snap decisions, because it was a matter of survival for our early ancestors. Unless we are in a war-torn or wild area, we don’t need this instinct anymore, or at least it’s not as important as it used to be. But either consciously or unconsciously, we still use it in everyday life and it affects our judgement, and that judgement is difficult to overcome.
The curb appeal of your Atlanta house can affect your house sale.
In a National Association of Realtors® report, real estate agents who responded thought curb appeal was the hook to pull in buyers. Studies by Virginia Tech and Michigan State University found that houses with nicely landscaped yards sold for significantly more—up to 12.7% more—than houses with average or sub-par landscaping.
How to improve the curb appeal of your Atlanta house
- Landscaping: The curb appeal of your Atlanta house and the plantings in the yard don’t have to look like the Atlanta Botanical Gardens to make a good first impression and potentially increase the market value of your house. However, some good landscaping will go a long way and is one of the best ways to boost your Atlanta home’s curb appeal. Trim hedges, fertilize and water the lawn, plant colorful flowers, weed gardens and lawn, and introduce evergreen shrubs along the foundation of your house.
- Painting: Apply a fresh coat of paint on trim, shutters, and the front door in carefully thought-out colors. This can really make the exterior of your Atlanta house shine and help improve your home value.
- Mailbox, house numbers, and hardware: Consider purchasing a new mailbox or clean and spruce up your old one. Are your street numbers old and faded? If so, replace them. New hardware on the front entrance door can make a big difference as well. All of these are fairly inexpensive home improvements.
- Lighting: An easy way to improve your home value and curb appeal is to install pretty solar lights along the sidewalk to your entrance and affix up-lights at strategic locations on the façade of your house. Install an inviting porch light on your Atlanta house.
- Walkways and driveway: Power wash grime from sidewalks and driveway. Neatly repair cracks, holes, and any other concrete or tile damage to improve curb appeal.
- Gutters: Clean out your gutters to remove leaves and debris. If the gutters are battered and old, consider replacing them along with old downspouts.
- Entrance and front porch: Clean the entrance and porch of your Atlanta house and make sure any outdoor furniture is in good shape and aesthetically pleasing. Remove any clutter and put an arrangement of dried or fresh flowers on display. Get a pretty new doormat. Brush a fresh coat of paint on porch railings.
Britt Wood, National Association of Landscape Professionals CEO, commented that “It’s no surprise that nearly all REALTORS® and most homeowners place a high value on the curb appeal of a well-maintained yard. Healthy outdoor living and green spaces help the environment, increase home values, make communities more desirable, and improve people’s mental and physical health.”
Options if you want to sell your house without making house repairs in Atlanta
Do you want to sell your house but don’t have the time or funds to invest in your home’s curb appeal? Maybe you simply don’t want to go through the hassle, or you need cash fast. Selling a house that needs repairs is easy and fast when you sell a house “as is” to HomeVestors®, your trusted cash home buyer in Atlanta. We buy houses in all sorts of conditions, even houses with fire damage, foundation issues, or lack of curb appeal.
Simply contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation at your house. Our friendly, local Atlanta property specialist will visit you at your house and do a walkthrough while answering your questions. Frequently, we can give you a fair cash offer the same day. If you accept our offer, we can often close the deal in as little as 3 weeks.
HomeVestors has bought over 140,000 houses since 1996. We have a 95%* customer satisfaction rating and excellent reviews. Contact us and take the first step toward selling your house no matter what condition it’s in.