curb appeal – Page 2 – Cooper Realty Associates

Landscaping For A Great First Impression

If you’re trying to sell your home (or thinking about it), then you want to brush up your home’s curb appeal to make a great first impression on your potential buyers. Here are a few landscaping tips that don’t require too much cash to make happen.

First, plan for some low maintenance landscaping. Adding some greenery and bright plants to your yard will bump up the curb appeal of your home, but for a low-cost, low-maintenance fix be sure to purchase plants that are native to our region. Water-conserving plants that are drought-tolerant are also a good bet for a low-maintenance fix. Another good idea is to plant a shade tree. Although a tree won’t mature quickly, if you’re thinking ahead, planting one now will be planning for the future of your home. Again, stick to native vegetation. Planting a tree helps with curb appeal, offers shade, and can even cut cooling costs if properly placed. Be careful about placement though because you don’t want to plant any trees too close to your house. My last tip is to curate your lawn. Overgrown grass, lawns with patches of dead grass or dirt, or lawns that are overrun by weeds all make a negative first impression on potential home buyers. Luckily, these issues are easy to fix. Consider hiring a landscaping company to clean up your yard, shape hedges, trim trees, etc. Spending a couple hundred dollars fixing up your home’s curb appeal is worth it to attract home buyers that might otherwise be unimpressed.

Thinking of buying or selling a home in Sussex County? Give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and put us to work for you – 302-629-6693.

Quick Updates To Sell Your Home

If you’re in the process of selling your home (or thinking about it), you might be thinking about what kind of remodeling you should do to put your home in the best light. As a rule, you should never undertake any big remodeling projects before putting your home up for sale, but there are a few things you can do with just a little bit of money to make your house more appealing on the market.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, one of the least expensive ways to increase your property value is to paint the walls! Neutrals are key, but don’t just buy a bucket of white and paint everything… that’s boring! Browns/beiges, grays, and even some shades of blue and green can be considered neutral. The idea is to get rid of any extremely personal colors in the house – you might love your red living room, but chances are most of your potential buyers won’t. Another relatively easy fix that will attract buyers is nice flooring. If you’re lucky enough to have hardwood under your carpeting, rip it up and have the floors refinished. If hardwood isn’t an option, consider replacing your carpeting for a fresh look that will attract buyers. To save money, go for a mid-range carpet, but put the best padding you can afford underneath… this cushiony layer really affects the look and feel of the carpet. Updating your light fixtures can also really improve your home’s salability. Replace any dated fixtures with something more classic for an instant pick-me-up. Pay special attention to the lighting in your kitchen, bathrooms, and hallway. You want your home to be well lit so that buyers can see it, don’t’ you? And while we’re discussing fixtures, if your bathroom or kitchen seem dated, changing out the hardware for something new can make a big impact for not much cash. If you can swing it, switching your old faucets with something newer can give new life to a room. My final budget suggestion is another one I’ve mentioned several times before… check your curb appeal! Most potential buyers will judge your house on their first impression, which is the outside! So be sure your home is putting its best foot forward by trimming any hedges/bushes and trees in the yard, mowing the grass, trimming any weeds, and edging your driveway and sidewalks. Power washing your side walks can make a surprisingly big impact too. Finally, invest a little cash by painting the front door and placing some potted flowers by it. For maximum impact, change out the hardware on your door with something new and think about getting a new mailbox. Finally, be sure that your house number is visible. If it isn’t, buy some new numbers and hang them immediately!

Since none of these projects cost all that much, the best part about them is that you’re pretty much guaranteed to recoup your cash when your home sells, which will probably be a whole lot sooner than if you hadn’t made the changes in the first place!

Looking for an agent who can help you with more great tips? Give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and put us to work for you – 302-629-6693.

Projects You Should Do Right Now

There is a small window of time when the weather is beautiful and it’s not unbearably hot, and we are currently in it! So, it’s the perfect time to get some of those outdoor projects done. Here’s a quick rundown of a few projects you should do now!

Prep Your Mower – If you do your own yard work, chances are you’ve already been out mowing this year, but if you haven’t already, you should sharpen those blades before you cut any more grass! Also check to make sure your other lawn & garden tools are in good operating condition.
Gutters and Downspouts – Check them out carefully to be sure none have gotten loose over the past year and clean out leaves and other debris. Also check for sags and water stains that may indicate a problem.
Fans & Air Conditioners — Dust them, wash them, remove any debris or building, and clean or replace the filters. If you don’t have central air and need to install window units, now’s the time. Make sure to seal the area around them well! While you’re at it, change the filter to your furnace, especially if you use the fan year round.
Roof Inspection – If your roof is older or you think there might be an issue now’s the time to get up there (or hire someone to do it for you!) and check it out. Be on the look-out for missing shingles or shingles that may be loose. Pay careful attention to the areas around chimneys, pipes, vents, skylights, and other such areas. While you’re up there take a good look around and become aware of anything that might be a potential problem if there’s a nasty storm (such as nearby tree limbs, etc.)
Foundation Vents– Check your vent blocks and remove or open the covers to let some air circulate. Clean them out if dirt has built up around them over the winter, and check to make sure the soil hasn’t shifted in a way that is allowing groundwater to drain into your basement or crawl space.
Outdoor Faucets – If they’ve been covered, uncover them and turn on the water supply if you shut it off over the winter.

Looking to buy or sell a home in Sussex County? Give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and let us work for you — 302-629-6693!

5 Perfect Plants For Your Garden

It’s almost May… if you haven’t already started thinking about your garden, now’s the time to get started. Here are five plants that grow well in Sussex County… with the proper care of course!

Astilbe
This dense, colorful plant blooms in shades of pink, red, white, and lavender. This plant grows best in shaded areas and needs plenty of water. (pictured above)

Bee Balm
If you love wildflowers, this is the plant for you. Flowering in red, pink, violet, and white varieties this plant grows best in moist, sunny areas. This beautiful plant also attracts butterflies and hummingbirds while deterring most pests with its minty scent.

Lily-of-the-Valley
This ground cover plant is well recognizable with its bell-shaped flowers that small oh-so-sweet. This plant grows well in moist, shaded areas. Although it doesn’t flower all season, the deep green leaves are lovely all season long.

Soapwort
This beautiful plant features clusters of small pink, purple, or white flowers and is super easy to grow as long as you plant it in full sun and don’t overwater. This plant can grow up to two feet tall and wide and blooms all summer and fall.

Trillium
This gorgeous plant blooms in shades of white, yellow, and maroon. Trillium’s distinguishing three-petal bloom grows best in moist, shaded areas. Just be sure to grow it along with other flowering plants, because Trillium goes dormant in midsummer.

Thinking of buying or selling a home in Sussex County? Give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and put us to work for you – 302-856-6434!

Boost Your Curb Appeal

When you’re trying to sell your home, you want buyers to fall in love at first sight! Here are a few tips to boost your property’s curb appeal…

You only get one chance to make a first impression, and first impressions are lasting. We know this, yet when many people put their home on the market they don’t take the time to make sure that the first impression is a good one. When you’re trying to sell your home, you want buyers to fall in love at first sight!

Here are a few tips to boost your property’s curb appeal:

Take a picture. You’re so use to seeing the outside of your house that you might not notice it anymore. If you take a photo (or several photos) you may be able to see the property with new eyes. Show the photos to friends, family, neighbors, etc. and ask them to point out any concerns they would have if they were thinking about buying the place. Make a list and address as many of the concerns as you can, especially recurring concerns.
Paint – It’s amazing what a fresh coat of paint can do for the exterior of a home. If the entire home doesn’t need to be painted, consider freshening the trim, doors, shutters, and/or garage door.
Clean & repair the driveway – Take the time to repair small cracks and rent a power washer to get that driveway clean. If your drive way is a major mess, think about getting it redone.
Spruce up landscaping – Keep your grass mowed and fertilized. Rake your yard. Edge along your sidewalks. Plant some bright, low maintenance flowers – marigolds are a good choice!
Replace your door – If your front door has seen better days, consider replacing it. Remember, the door is what will welcome potential buyers into your home. Make it a nice welcome!
Clean – Wash your windows and doors (including screens), rent a power washer and spray down the deck, driveway, sidewalks, consider power washing the exterior of your home if you aren’t going to paint.
Replace light bulbs – check the view of your home at night and replace any burned-out bulbs. Consider adding lights if the property is in need of better lighting.

Of course the front of your house will offer the first impression to potential buyers, but don’t forget the back and side views as well!

Considering putting your home on the market? Let us help. Give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and put us to work for you – 302-644-2266!

5 Ways to Make Your Home More Appealing to Buyers

If your home is on the market, but it’s not selling, consider putting in some time and elbow grease to make it more appealing to potential buyers. Here are five relatively inexpensive tips to help you market your home…

1. De-clutter
You want to show off your home to potential buyers, not your stuff. Even if you feel like your stuff is organized, the truth is it is still taking up space… space that will seem more appealing to buyers if it is empty, giving the illusion of more square footage. Here are some tips to help you:

If you haven’t used it in over a year get rid of it – donate it or throw it away.
Pack up knick-knacks, books, photos, etc. – you want potential buyers to envision themselves in your home, but they won’t be able to do that if they see your family everywhere they look.
Get a small box for essentials (toothpaste, toothbrushes, etc) and put them out of site (like under the sink) when not in use.
Rent a storage unit – all homes show better with less furniture. Remove pieces that are too bulky for their space, block walkways or doorways, or are not necessary. For example, take the leaves out of your dining room table and store extra chairs – this will make your dining room seem larger. If your guest room doubles as an office, either remove the desk and all office furniture or store the bed and other pieces of bedroom furniture. You don’t want potential buyers to walk into a room and wonder what it’s used for.

Remember, de-cluttering goes for all areas of your home, so don’t think that boxing up your stuff and putting it in the garage, basement, or closet is helpful. You want to be prepared for potential buyers to open every last door, drawer, and cabinet and scrutinize every last square inch of space. What kind of impression would it give to open a closet door and see piles of stuff jumbled up? At best this is distracting to potential buyers and at worse it can deter them. Get rid of your stuff, get organized, and get potential buyers thinking about the space in your home as theirs.

2. Clean
When a house sparkles it give buyers the impression that you are the kind of people that take good care of your things. Everyone wants to buy a house that has been well cared for, so keep your house clean and increase your odds of selling. In addition to daily cleaning, consider doing the following:

Rent a power washer and spray down your driveway, sidewalks, and exterior
Wash windows inside and out
Dust for cobwebs
Re-caulk tubs, showers and sinks
Polish all faucets and mirrors and keep them polished
Get your carpets professionally cleaned and then vacuum daily
Dust not only your furniture, but light fixtures, picture frames, electronics, fan blades, and anything else that collects dust
Hang clean, fresh towels
Replace any worn out bedding or curtains
Eliminate any odors – all odors should be avoided, but be especially aware of pet odors. You are accustomed to them, so ask a friend or neighbor who does not have a pet to come over and let you know if there are lingering odors. As much as you love your pets, others may not and may even be allergic. If you want to sell your home, don’t alienate buyers who are not “pet people.”
Wax floors

3. Check curb appeal
You don’t want potential buyers to walk away before they even come inside! Walk around your house and think about how it comes across to potential buyers. If you can’t be objective ask a friend or neighbor for help. Consider the following: edge sidewalks, trim bushes, plant flowers, add potted plants, mend fences, keep sidewalks cleared, keep the lawn mowed, paint faded trim, be sure that your house number is clearly visible.

4. Make Minor Repairs
Even inexpensive repairs can make a big difference in showing a home. Consider the following: tighten leaky faucets, patch holes in walls (even nail holes from those family photos you removed!), caulk or plaster where necessary, replace cracked tiles, fix doors that don’t close properly, fix windows or drawers that jam, replace burned out light bulbs or broken light fixtures, fix broken blinds, oil squeaky hinges or windows that get stuck, replace any window or door hardware that is broken or “tricky”

5. Paint
Painting is relatively inexpensive (if you do it yourself) and is perhaps the one thing you can do to make the biggest impact on the way your home shows to potential buyers. Paint all the walls in your home in neutral shades. Stay away from white which can feel cold and clinical, and instead choose from one of the lovely, warm beige tones that exist. Definitely avoid non-neutral colors – you don’t want potential buyers to remember your home as the “one with the green room.”

None of these suggestions require a large amount of money, but if you combine them with some time and elbow grease your home will be much more appealing to potential buyers.

Want help selling your home? Give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and let us help you – 302-644-2266!