|
Curb appeal has grown up, and using innovative Design Psychology techniques for marketing homes puts curb allure to work, enticing buyers to come inside your home.
Suppliers and Exquisite Details
To be successful, you need to spend less to make more; yet there are times when spending a little extra will yield significantly more profit, and adding exquisite details can also add dollars to your bank account. For instance, if you don't find what you're looking for at a bargain price, visit an upscale retailer and look for similar items at sale prices.
If you use ugly, cheap, or tacky fixtures, you'll actually make it harder to sell your home by lowering your home’s attractiveness. Think of it this way: spending $100 more for a quality fixture will save you at least one, and possibly more, mortgage payment. That means that your $100 fixture was really an investment, rather than an expense.
There are some things that you can make relatively inexpensively, compared to buying them ready made, such as lace curtains. But if you don't have the time or skill to make quality things yourself, you can save money by haunting home improvement warehouses and discount stores, assuming you're able to find quality merchandise at reasonable prices.
One of my favorite suppliers is Restore, which is the outlet store for Habitat for Humanity. Restore resells donated light fixtures, window hardware, paint, switch plate covers, house numbers, mirrors, sinks, and even beds. Restore also lets you bargain on merchandise, which means that the tagged price isn't always the final price. You can even sign up for Restore's mailing list and receive notices of half-price sales.
Creating an Exciting Exterior
Curb allure is the most important challenge you'll face when selling your home. Imagine prospective buyers driving up and examining your property for the first time. Your goal is to have them exclaim, "What a darling home!"
Buyers will forgive little inadequacies in your home if they love it from the first time they see it. So go a few extra steps beyond curb appeal and lure your prospective buyers inside with Design Psychology methods such as:
Psychology of the Entrance
A problem with many newer homes is that developers don't provide a separate walkway to the front door. You don't want to make buyers walk around cars and trip over driveway edges to navigate to your front door, so create a separate walkway from the street to the porch.
Feeling Welcome
When flowers line the walkway, it creates a warm reception. Cheerful flowers, in loud colors, near the entry announce to the world that you care about your home. Extras such as water fountains, fishponds, and scented vegetation will also be well received by potential buyers.
Sing Out Your Address
Address numbers should be proud, bold, and beautiful. Avoid tacky peel-and-stick numbers, and if you use brass numbers, attach them with screws, rather than pronged-end fasteners that will eventually work loose. Gold-gilded numbers look elegant on glass doors, and gold-gilded vinyl transfer numbers look especially exquisite in transom windows.
Welcoming Accessories
- Wind chimes will add pleasure to your buyers' sense of hearing.
- Potted plants, such as soft ferns, are also friendly, but you should avoid spiked plants with thorns near the doorway.
- Floral baskets with bright yellow and white flowers will show up better at night.
- A pair of rocking chairs, a double glider, or a porch swing will invite potential buyers to sit and chat.
- A welcome mat also adds a homey touch.
Taking a little extra time and spending just a bit more money, coupled with the use of Design Psychology techniques, will help sell your home faster, and for more money.
Copyright c. 2004 Jeanette Fisher. All Rights Reserved.
|
