Stage the Exterior of a House

with Ben Hess

Transcript: Stage the Exterior of a House

Hi, I'm Ben Hess for About.com Home, and I'm going to share a few inexpensive home staging tips that will help you get the price you want for your beloved abode.

Boost Your Home's Curb Appeal

When people hear the word "staging," they immediately think about the interior. But today, our goal is to create or maximize outdoor living space, augmenting your interior square footage.

Before we step foot inside, let's make sure you've got the curb appeal to get prospective buyers inside and excited to see more.

Revive Your Lawn and Garden

First of all, your lawn, plants, and flowers need to be vibrant, colorful, and alive. Who wants to pay list price or more for a pad with brown grass or wilting flowers? Subliminally, buyers wonder, "Is the rest of the house as poorly maintained as the yard?"

If you don't have much color in your front yard or on the porch, now's the time. Planting annuals is a minimal investment that will yield tremendous results.

Of course, make sure your lawn and flowers are getting sufficient water to keep them alive and vibrant throughout your time on the market.

Repair or paint fences, lights or even the doorbell as needed.

Add Small Accents

Second, minor accents help a yard and porch pop. A new bag of wood chips and accent rocks help flower and tree beds come to life.

Do you have a porch or patio big enough for a seating area? Go ahead and create it!

Reduce the Clutter

Tip three is a mantra I'll also repeat over and over once we're inside: reduce the clutter.

You may be used to sports equipment on the front porch, but you could inadvertently turn prospective buyers off. They may not ride bikes or play soccer or even like sports.

You've been using the side of the house as your personal I-don't-know-what-to-do-with-this dump? Now's the time to junk it.

Pick up Yard Debris

And finally, remember to pick up and discard yard debris such as branches, leaves and pine straw.

If you're fortunate to have fruit producing trees, set aside some picking time prior to a showing or open house. Buyers could take rotting fruit on the ground or ripe fruit on the tree as another sign of home neglect.

Best of luck on getting the exterior of your house ready to sell. Thanks for watching. To learn more, visit us online at homegarden.about.com.

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