Fixing Your Curb Appeal

Ilyce: You've heard the old saying that it's not what's on the outside that matter, but it's what's on the inside that counts. But, not when it comes to selling your house. If your home doesn't make a good first impression, you might never get potential buyers to walk through the front door. We went to two homes in Glencoe to size up their "Curb Appeal."
 

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(Patrick O'Rourke of Landmark Realtors and Ilyce Glink walking)

PATRICK: It's always a nice thing. There's not one stone that's out of place.

ILYCE: Patrick O'Rourke of Landmark Realtors says attention to detail is what sells houses. Each tree and schrub was carefully chosen to compliment the natural stone of this two million dollar home. Details like potted flowers and a well-manicured lawn draw you in for a closer look.

PATRICK: You don't want pink shutters on the home, even if it's the personal taste of the owner in it. You have to have the house ready for market.

ILYCE: This house is clearly ready.

PATRICK: The use of the natural cedar roof is nice. Copper gutters are always a feature that says quality to people. The slate walkway up to the front door, even the landscaping around the front door is simple.

ILYCE: Are pots like these expensive to put in?

PATRICK: Not at all. You can go to any garden shop and pick these up. For $20 to $50, you can have the front door accented quite nicely.

ILYCE: You can accent your door all you like, but smart landscaping can't disguise years of neglect. This old house is a little tired. The brick stoop has settled over the years and is in desperate need of repair. The walkway has more grass than parts of the lawn. The barn -- now the garage -- is leaning, the shrubs are overgrown and the lawn is weed-filled an patchy.

PATRICK: What you should do is look at your house from a buyer's point of view and start with a checklist and go through the home and start quite honestly at the top and work your way down.

ILYCE: Peeling paint should be fixed and windows washed.

PATRICK: You can tell a home that is not well-maintained even before you get into it.

ILYCE: It's like meeting someone for the first time. It can be positive or negative. As a seller, you want your house to put it's best face forward.

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TAG: It doesn't matter if you live in a mansion, bungalow or condo, when trying to sell your home, curb appeal is important. Even though it's a strong housing market right now, there is still a lot of competition. Especially in those neighborhoods where all the houses tend to look alike.

Just about anyone can spruce up their property by insuring that it's well-maintained. Inexpensive flowers go a long way, and there are a lot of flower sales on right now. Go look at model homes for inspiration, and ideas on how you can spruce up your house.

If you want to look at the two million dollar house we showed you here, it'll be open to the public July 1-23. The address is 725 Valley Rd, Glencoe (312) 467-5080.