Tag: curb appeal

6 Best Ways To Enhance Curb Appeal

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

As an active realtor in Orlando, I always make it a point to inform my seller clients how a home’s curb appeal is a one-time opportunity to give buyers an inviting impression of your home…so listen up! 

The front door should give potential buyers an indication of the way the home looks on the inside.  The good news is that you can enhance your curb appeal without spending a lot of money. Below are some things you can do to change your entrance from bland to grand!


Paint Your Front Door

Make your front door pop by using a bright color or even super dark color, it could be just the touch that you need to give it a modern touch. If you live in a neighborhood with a strict homeowners association, then you should find out about any color restrictions they may have or you could end up painting twice.    

Decorate Your Entrance

The entrance to your home is the main focal point of the front. If you have the space, try decorating a bit. A couple of nice porch chairs and a small table or maybe even a cozy swing could give your entry a whole new look that potential buyers will love. Be careful not to go overboard, you don’t want your entryway to look cluttered.    

Add Lighting

Having curb appeal at night is almost as important as it is during the day. Most interested buyers will drive by the home at night to see if it looks as good in the dark as it did in the daylight. Having some warm lighting at the entrance by using decorative lanterns or solar lights will enhance the appearance of any front entrance.    

Use Large and Stylish Address Numbers


One of the most annoying things for me when I’m trying to find an address is having to slow down and squint to see the house number. A small house number can also take away from the overall look of the house. Be proud of that house number! Celebrate it! Use big stylish numbers to identify your house. You’d be surprised at how much of a difference this simple step can make.    

Minor Landscaping

Most of the time all a house needs in the landscaping department is some clean-up and trimming to give it that “fresh haircut” look. If you really want to make a good first impression then add some flowers with bright colors leading up to the doorway. This will help to set the mood for people right before they walk in.    

Replace The Hardware

If you haven’t changed out your front door hardware in a long time then I would strongly recommend that you get rid of that rusty door handle and replace it with a new one. Having a new door handle and maybe even adding a door knocker and kick plate will give your entryway that brand new feel to it.     

These subtle changes and tweaks to your front doorway won’t cost much money and the best part is that you can do it yourself in less than a weekend. If want to know more about how you can enhance your curb appeal before listing your Orlando house on the MLS, call me at 407-902-7750 or visit me at https://orlandorealtyconsultants.com/contact/jenny-realtor/. I’m here to help.

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Getting an Estimate: 5 Things that Will Determine the Value of Your Home

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

While some home buyers rely on love, at first sight, that kind of chemistry is hard to quantify. Luckily, there are some objective criteria most realtors – and most buyers – use when measuring the value of a home. If you aren’t sure about the value of your home, there are a few elements that will go into pricing strategies. Typically, these elements will vary on a case-by-case basis, but there are a few common characteristics that will contribute to the value of a home across the board. Below are five major elements that will help determine to price when listing a home for sale.

Location, Location, Location

Unfortunately, this is one component of pricing sellers won’t be able to easily influence. Location is based on several factors. Walk-ability, for example, is a measure of whether or not stores and restaurants are within easy walking distance. Having good schools in the area is another factor. Then there are crime statistics, the average commute to the nearest metro area, and the cost of comparable homes in the neighborhood. While you can’t change the location of your home, it’s important to be aware that the location can be a great selling point in and of itself. When pricing the home, consider the surrounding amenities that could make the property more valuable.

Square Footage

This is another characteristic that you might not have much control over, but unlike location, there are some tweaks homeowners can make in this department. One way to add to a home’s square footage, and therefore its value, is finishing the basement. Another way to increase square footage would be to build an addition—this is an expensive update, but can also add long-term value. After you examine the physical location, you can assess the value of the home based on the actual home size, number of bedrooms, and yard space.

Updates and Upgrades

Here is the element that homeowners have quite a bit of control over. If your home is outdated either in style or function, that will lower the value of the home overall. Any updates made to the home will help to justify a higher price. Kitchen and bathroom upgrades in particular tend to add the most value to a home. However, they are also the most expensive rooms in the house to renovate, so prospective sellers need to walk a fine line between having an appealing, modern home and spending more than they will recoup in upgrades. According to the home professionals of A Plus Quality, who offer air conditioning service in Toronto, modest upgrades, such as new cabinet doors, energy-efficient appliances, and updated counter-tops and fixtures, as well as a new coat of paint, will provide the biggest bang for the buck.

Curb Appeal and Landscaping

First impressions are important. Studies have shown that a well-landscaped home sells for a higher price, and that yard upgrades can easily pay for themselves. New sod, well-maintained flowerbeds, and an appealing walkway can all add to a yard’s appeal. It is also important to trim existing overgrown bushes and trees. While a well-manicured yard will add to the home’s value, you must be careful not to overdo it. If the yard is too elaborate and will require a lot of intensive work for the homeowner, that can be a deterrent to a potential buyer. Finding the right balance of a nicely groomed yard that won’t require extensive labor for the homeowner will help drive up the value of the home.

Overall Soundness

If your home is overall “sound,” it means that major, expensive fixes won’t become the buyer’s responsibility. This includes a roof and windows that won’t need replacing within a couple of years. It also includes making sure that the HVAC, the water boiler, the plumbing, and the electricity are all in good working order. Buyers don’t want a lemon, and responsible sellers will make sure their home is in good repair before putting it on the market. This is why little updates here and there over the years will really pay off if you are planning on selling. If the potential buyer can find little to no issues with the home, you’ll be able to value the home much higher than if you’re trying to pass off a home that will need a lot of TLC (and money) in the next few years.

While it may be difficult for buyers to implement all of these changes prior to selling their home, even minor fixes in these areas can yield big returns. Some paint, some sod, and some basic home repairs can be just the polish a home (and a buyer) needs. Even if you aren’t planning on selling your home for a few years, you can see the value of good maintenance. Taking good care of your home and investing in repairs will help you reap a greater reward in the end when it comes to pricing your home. Any updates you can make to your home, no matter how small, will contribute to the overall value and will be worth the investment when it comes time to sell.

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Let the Lights Guide you Home – Attracting Potential Buyers with Dynamic Outdoor Lighting

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

Any small advantage that can gain your home or rental property those few extra views should be viewed not with caution but with wide-eyed enthusiasm. Even small things such as making sure the house has a fresh coat of paint, making sure the windows are all clean or the floors are all recently vacuumed, should not be looked down upon.

One area that most of us overlook is outdoor lighting. It’s said that you can’t change the first impression, so why are we spending so little effort in making sure that the first impression is a keeper? Subtle, strategically placed outdoor lighting can be used to make your home appear bigger, more attractive, and more sellable. You have no doubt spent a significant amount of time and effort making sure that your indoor lighting is up to scratch, so why not spend just a fraction of that time and effort making sure your outdoor lighting is just as impressive?

Safety First

Outdoor lighting is not just aesthetically pleasing but it also makes your home safer. Not only does it dissuade potential robbers from breaking into your home due to the extra exposure they would receive, but it also means you and any potential buyers are less likely to take a nasty tumble between the car and the front door.

Lit Up

Think about it, what’s the first thing a potential buyer or renter will do before they make the decision whether or not to book a viewing? They’ll have a drive past the house of course. If they are driving past at night in the dark, they won’t be able to see anything if there are no external lights and you could have just missed out on viewing.

Adding Value

It might sound too good to be true but if it’s implemented in the right way, outdoor lighting can actually increase your property value. This is especially true if your front garden is particularly attractive or there are features at the front of your house (a nice tree, a perfectly maintained flower bed or a generous space for parking perhaps) that might look quite desirable when they are illuminated.

Standing Out

Not only will an unlit home look dark and uninviting, but it will simply merge into the background. With strategically placed outdoor lighting giving your home a warm, comforting and inviting glow it will stand head and shoulders above the competition.

LED

Whilst you might (understandably) wrongly believe that outdoor lighting is an expensive pursuit, the prevalence of more energy efficient, LED lighting has meant expensive electricity bills could be a thing of the past. There are no bulbs to change, the energy efficiency is literally 10 times better than halogen bulbs and they are far more durable, meaning they are far better suited for outdoor usage. LED lights might be more of an initial investment, but their dynamism, reliability and energy efficiency will save you potential hundreds in the long run. Solar-powered outdoor LED lights are also an option.

Placement Tips

  • Outdoor lights will always appear larger in the shop than they will once they are installed so be sure to take this into account when you’re shopping around.
  • Place the exterior lighting in areas that can be seen from inside your home, it will add a deceptively bold extra layer to your overall lighting that will really help sell your property.
  • Use different types and levels of light together to give your home a three-dimensional sense of depth. Experiment with different positions and levels until you achieve the desired effect.
  • By lighting surrounding trees and bushes you can achieve a pleasant ‘spill’ effect. Also, try decorating the foliage with fairy lights, especially in winter when you can get away with it.
  • Don’t go overboard. You don’t want your home to be lit up like a fairground attraction. You simply want to give the impression that it’s a comfortable place in which someone would be happy to spend the rest of their lives! So no pressure!

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Putting Your Home On The Market: 5 Curb Appeal Tips For The Winter

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

Selling your home in the winter is a little harder than selling it during the summer. Shoppers are so busy with the holidays that they don’t want to even think about buying a new home, and other shoppers hate dealing with the snow and ice. Increasing the curb appeal during the winter can help you get your house sold.

Change the Lighting

Depending on where you live, the sun might set as early as five pm at night, which is the same time that people leave work. Adding some new lighting to your home can make the house look brighter and livelier, but those lights will also give potential buyers a better look at the property. Outdoor lighting is something that is often forgotten about in homes. By giving your home a good look at night you can see where a little extra something would be very welcomed.

Add Some Decorations

While some experts tell you that you should get rid of clutter and anything that makes your house look lived in that advice doesn’t apply during the holidays. Shoppers want to imagine how they would feel living there, opening their gifts on Christmas day and celebrating with friends. Adding an inflatable Santa, decorating the trees and shrubs with lights or hanging pine from your porch gives your home a festive look.

You basically want to make the house look a bit on the neutral side, so your potential buyers can see themselves in your home, but also homey. It is a bit of a fine line, but portraying the right look with your home during the holidays can really help your house fly off the market.

Take Care of Pests

When the temperature drops, rodents and pests look for places to hide. You might find squirrels living in the eaves, mice hiding in your porch or even raccoons nesting under your home. If you need help with companies can help. You don’t need to worry about sliding on the ice, injuring yourself under the porch or even suffering from bites.

Eliminate Ice and Snow

As much as you might like the look of those icicles hanging from your roof, shoppers look at those icicles as a potential hazard. Now is the time to shovel the walk, take care of the built up snow that ice trucks left in your yard and get rid of snow and ice hanging from the roof. Remember that the way your home looks says a lot to the potential buyers. By staying on top of these seemingly small ideas, the message can say a lot more.

Bring in Some New Plants

A bright pop of color can make your home instantly look more inviting and welcoming. While you can’t use all types of flowers during the winter months, you can find some cold-weather plants. Poinsettias, certain types of ivy and witch hazel all thrive in cold weather.

Despite what some people might say, you can sell your house easily during the winter. You need to get your house ready for potential buyers with a little bit of curb appeal from holiday decorations and cold-weather plants you place outside.

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Contemporary and Tasteful Outdoor Christmas Decor for Your Home

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

Christmas decorations

Christmas is a great time of year to get creative and celebrate in the season in your own style and if your home is on the market there is always the chance that it will catch the eye of a potential buyer! If you’re tired of seeing the same old decorations year after year, why not try something a bit more contemporary this year? Here is a collection of some fun and festive alternatives.

Wreaths and door decorations

Imagine a classic wreath; typically it has greenery, ribbons, bells and maybe even some artificial snow. Pretty, but the chances are every single one of your neighbors has one just like it. Get in touch with nature and weave twigs and sticks together to make a wreath that complements the area outside your home. Silver metal wreaths also look amazing and are a lot more durable, give them an even more festive touch with stars and ornaments attached. If you’re tired of wreaths all together, other door decorations like Christmas themed baskets and reindeer head door-hangings are fun, festive and alternative.

Lawn Decorations

Do away with garden gnomes this holiday season and decorate your lawn with something a bit more festive! Birdbaths filled with ornaments or miniature Christmas trees are gorgeous without being over the top. If you have an old ladder you don’t use, try painting it and decorating it with lights and ornaments, it will look like a trendy, durable Christmas tree alternative. Ice –skates leaning against a tree or hanging from a porch and decorated potted plants are also fun and unique types of decorations.

Window decorations

These decorations will be inside so they can be a bit more delicate than decorations on the outside. Paper cut-outs allow you to get creative; attach them to fishing lines and hang them from your windows like paper curtains. Candles and fairy lights light up your house on those dark winter nights and look great from the outside as well as the inside.

Porch decorations

A well decorated porch is a great way to invite people in over Christmas. Outdoor furniture like benches or rocking chairs can be decorated with lights or greenery for a simple but strong look. Line up wellingtons by the door and fill them with replica presents, a festive nod to the arrival of Santa Clause without the cartoon signs and statues. For a winter feel to your porch, add model icicles to your awning. Choosing between icicles that light up and ones that don’t can be tough; just keep in mind that you don’t want the front of your house to look too busy and overcrowded.

Lighting

Lighting is a great and festive ornament anywhere outside your home. If you find the fairy lights in the trees are a bit overdone, try tea lights in holders on branches or if you have any lanterns, lighting them in the evening gives off an enchanted effect.

If you love fairy lights but want to do something new with them, try wrapping them around bicycles and other outdoor equipment or have them lining the path to the front door.

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