Without curb appeal, a property can take longer to sell and may even sell for less money. Even if you live in a hot real estate market like Franklin, maintenance and curb appeal can make your home stand out and give you an edge. Often the most effective way to boost curb appeal is by performing regular maintenance that many homeowners allow to fall by the wayside.

Make the Lawn Healthy

Lush, green, healthy grass can signal to buyers that the homeowner prioritizes the maintenance and care of the home. Homeowners who want to improve the overall health of their lawn in a short period of time can do the following:

• Establish a regular watering schedule. Water the lawn deeply two times per week. To cut back on evaporation, do this in the evening or in the early morning before the sun rises.
• Fertilize the lawn with a nitrogen-rich fertilizer. Follow instructions carefully to avoid burning the roots.
• Cut the lawn once each week. Waiting a long time in between cuttings means there will be more grass to cut each time the grass is mowed. Cutting the lawn frequently reduces the proportion of the grass that needs to be cut, thus reducing trauma to the grass.
• Keep pets off the lawn. Pets have a way of digging at the grass and tearing up the lawn. Keeping pets off the lawn gives the grass a chance to rest and heal.

Homeowners getting ready to sell might find it difficult to keep up with a regular lawn care regimen. If this is the case, hire a gardening service to cut the lawn, rake up leaves, dispose of debris and other regular maintenance.

Clean the Home Exterior

Houses can become dirty over time. This is especially true in homes with automatic sprinklers, which can kick up mud around the base of the house near the garden beds. To return your home to its original beauty, spray down the outside of the house with a strong jet of water from a hose. Use a long-handled scrub brush and mild soapy water to scrub the outside of the house, then rinse. If the siding has mold or mildew, use a mixture of water and oxygenated bleach to clean the house. If you must use chlorinated bleach to clean the house, cover your landscaping with a tarp first.

Touch Up Paint

Bare patches in the paint on the house can increase buyer concerns about dry rot and other problems. Touching up bare patches on the siding can reduce these concerns. To do this, sand down bare areas, wipe away the saw dust, then use touch up paint to cover the bare patches. If paint looks worn or faded, consider repainting the exterior to give it a fresh, updated look.

Clean the Windows

Clean windows look beautiful and boost curb appeal while also allowing light into the home, which helps with staging. To clean the windows, use a squeegee and vinegar mixed with water. For windows with hard water stains, soak a towel in water and vinegar, then lay the towel on the window and leave it on the glass for two minutes. The vinegar should soften the mineral deposits just enough to be wiped away. Repeat this process as necessary until the mineral deposits have been completely wiped away.

Plant Colorful Annuals

Colorful annual flowers attract attention to the lawn while making the property look cheerful and inviting to buyers. When choosing flowers for your garden beds, look for easy to grow annuals like impatiens, pansies and petunias. These flowers require little more than regular watering and deadheading to grow big and beautiful during the growing season. Concentrate the most beautiful flower displays in the garden beds near the door to draw attention to the entrance of your home.

Work With Your Real Estate Agent

Every home has different needs to improve curb appeal. A good real estate agent will know all the tricks, from repainting the door to hanging a wreath, replacing the welcome mat to decorating the front porch. Before listing your home for sale, work with your real estate agent to improve the appearance of your home.