Neighbour’s Curb Appeal Can Help Or Hurt Your Home Sale

You spruce up the inside and outside of your home, getting it ready for the market. The paint is fresh, the lawn manicured and flowers grace the walkway leading to your front door. But, even with all this, there is the possibility that one look at the neighbourhood will dissuade potential buyers. This could be because of one neighbour with an unsightly curb appeal or a number of less than stellar homes on the block.

Granted, at least some of these homeowners may be elderly and just can’t keep up with the yard work, let alone cart the trash away. If the offender lives next door, hopefully you have a good relationship with the owner and will feel comfortable approaching him/her on the matter.

First off, don’t ask for a complete curb renovation. You’ll stand a better chance of getting cooperation if you start small, asking for a simple clean up. Offer to help if it is needed. Sometimes things just get out of hand, perhaps due to illness or lack of motility.

If the gentlemanly approach doesn’t work and you see problems that warrant calling in local officials, do so. Some types of disrepair can have health or safety issues. Getting officials involved can get things moving.

Renters sometimes are less diligent than owners in the caring of property. If this is the case go to the county or city and find out who owns the property. Take your concerns directly to the owner.

Put the cherry on the discussion. Let your neighbours know that by fixing their properties up to help you sell yours, their property values also improve. Down the road, when it’s their turn to sell, it will be easier to attract buyers, and get a better price. Outlining the benefits of sprucing up their properties moves the discussion into a more positive mode.

This entry was posted in Blog. Bookmark the permalink.

Leave a Reply