curb appeal Archives - Kimberly Howell Properties

DIY Landscaping Projects for Spring

March 22, 2019 by khproperties Leave a Comment

As the colder temperatures fade and green begins to pop up all around us, it’s time to think about some springtime DIY landscaping projects to spruce up your home. While there are plenty of huge projects you can spend lots of money on, there are many simple weekend projects that you can do yourself that will give you great bang for your buck and help create a beautiful place that you’ll love to spend time in. Whether it’s as simple as installing some lighting or a little more time-consuming like re-plotting plants, a fresh look for the lawn always gives your home a fresh look as well. Here are some of our favorite DIY landscaping projects that you can do this spring.

Create a Pathway

To guide you and visitors through your yard and link different areas together, try installing a pathway. You can use materials from a variety of sources, including reclaimed pallet wood, flagstones, gravel, and more to add texture and color. Combine this project with some of the others below for bigger effect.

Add a Wall or Border

Installing a flagstone, rock, or brick wall around flower beds or trees adds a sleek, clean look to your landscaping and helps separate different sections of your yard. Add depth to your design by using walls of different height and materials.

Install a Water Feature

Nothing says “zen” quite like the sound of trickling water as you relax in your backyard. You can start simple by purchasing and installing a small water feature powered by a solar panel or create a larger focal point in your yard by installing a waterfall wall or small pond.

Light Your Way

An easy way to transform your yard is the strategic use of lighting. Place cool-colored lights high in trees to create a moonlight-like feel, use pathway lights to naturally guide the eye, or highlight objects or plants with stronger more focused lighting.

Plant Upwards

Expand your yard space by drawing the eye to the sky with a trellis, fence, or screen made of wood or metal. Once you install your trellis, select your climbing plants and vines and get those planted now so that you can watch them grow.

No matter what your budget is, there are always some great landscaping projects that you can take on to help make your backyard your own private oasis. Plan big and then break your landscaping projects down into smaller pieces that you can take on one at a time. By the time summer hits, you’ll be the envy of the neighborhood with all the work you’ve put into your yard.

image courtesy of hans s

5 Ways to Improve Curb Appeal for Under $100

February 11, 2016 by khproperties Leave a Comment

Curb appeal. How often do we mention those words here on this site? Curb appeal is the always mentioned, often overlooked method of making your home stand out from the crowd when you’re trying to sell it and although much of it seems like common sense, it truly can make all the difference. Buyers are looking for the best value for their money and when it comes to curb appeal, a little can go a long way. So whether your home is already on the market or you’re getting it ready to list soon, you should be looking for some areas that you can easily brighten and freshen up with as little out of pocket as possible. With that in mind, we thought we’d make a quick list of 5 easy items, each costing less than $100, that will deliver big results for you and help you get that home sold!

Improve Your Curb Appeal for Less Than $100

Power wash your driveway and sidewalks. You can usually get powerwashing done relatively cheap, but it’s actually quite easy to do yourself. If you don’t have a power washer, check with your neighbors and see if anyone has one. If not, see if they’d be willing to chip in for a power wash weekend. Power washers, even large commercial grade ones, usually rent for under $100/day, but if you pool your funds with the neighbors, you can probably do it for even less. Plus if your neighbors’ sidewalks and driveways look as clean as yours do, buyers will get an even better impression of the home and the neighborhood in general.

Paint the front door. You can get a can of paint for cheap, especially if you’re willing to look at the samples and returns. Not only is painting your door cheap, but it’s also rather easy to do. A fresh coat of paint or stain will have a big impact as the buyers stand at the entrance while the real estate agent unlocks the door. You’d be surprised at how often we hear buyers make comments about the condition of the door as they’re waiting to go inside.

Buy some flowers. Everyone loves a little splash of color and you can pick up quite a few plants for $100. Look for bright colors and big blooms that will take up more space. Whether you plant them in a flowerbed or add a touch of spring with a few planters placed near the entrance, flowers are always a winner for a quick touch of color, especially when the weather in San Antonio has turned most of the grass brown. Just make sure you keep them well watered in the summertime so they’re not drooping or dying!

Change out the light fixture on the front porch. Most homes have a light fixture at the front door and they tend to be overlooked as we hustle in and out of our homes, often via the garage. A simple swap of a light fixture can cost a lot more than $100, but there are plenty of options for less. When your home was built, the look that was in style at the time might be seen as outdated and old today, so an update can give the impression that the home is much newer than it really is. Remember, perception is often reality in a buyer’s mind. The same can also be said for the door hardware (knobs, locks, and peepholes) – any upgrade will give you results (especially if you combine several of the items into one upgrade/update – fresh paint on the door, new light fixture, and new door hardware).

Trim the trees and shrubs. Almost every time we’ve ever seen an inspection report, it mentions trimming back trees and shrubs from the house. Anytime you have plants or trees that have contact with the building, you’re giving wood destroying insects like termites a path into your home. Tree branches near the roof line can also cause damage to roof tiles when there’s a bit of wind. So more than likely, you’re going to have to do this anyway, why not knock it out now and spruce up the curb appeal of your home with a quick trim. You can do this one yourself for no cost or hire a landscaper to do a quick clean up of the front of the home. Either way, your house will look amazing with this easy to do item.

image courtesy of dandeluca

Curb Appeal – What’s it All About?

December 18, 2015 by khproperties Leave a Comment

Curb Appeal – We Can’t Talk About It Enough

One of the biggest phrases in real estate lingo is curb appeal but this can mean so many different things to so many different people. There are some definites that everyone agrees on and there are some items that depend on where you live and local real estate traditions. There are some items that you can do for a few dollars and a little time and there are others that might require some serious cash and calling in the experts. The basics of curb appeal, however, are simple.

The yard is not overgrown.
The house is not falling apart.
The is no junk strewn about.

The more in-depth version of the above list is doing things to the exterior of a home that make it as appealing as possible to potential buyers and those driving past. If exterior siding is rotted or paint chipping, it sends warning signals to a buyer’s brain that there is deferred maintenance and they automatically start ticking off dollars on their potential offer price. And that’s before they even step foot inside the door. Even a bit of touch up paint on doors and trim, along with some minor handyman work to pressure wash sidewalks and driveways will get you a long way.

Other elements of the curb appeal include landscaping and they can be a bit more subjective. A great place to start is with the basics. Trim back trees and bushes, especially those along walkways and near the roofline (these are almost always called out during inspections because they give wood destroying insects like termites easy access to your home). Mow the yard (or rake it in the fall) regularly while your home is on the market. Adding mulch to flower beds (and maybe a few freshly planted colorful bushes or flowers) is generally an excellent investment on the outside of your home. Fix that fence that you’ve been meaning to get to. And whatever you do, keep the lawn gnomes to a minimum (just checking to make sure you’re still reading!).

Here in South Texas, the summer droughts can turn lush green lawns into crispy brown eyesores practically overnight. While there are some companies out there that you can pay to spray green dye on the brown lifeless leaves to give the impression of hearty growth and tender care, we wouldn’t necessarily always recommend that route. Some people also look to xeriscaping as a way to strategically combat water restrictions while still keeping their yards in well manicured form. This could involve drought tolerant plants (yucca, cactus, etc.), rock beds (instead of dirt or mulch which are much more easily eroded), or even full out concrete.

If you’re not sure how to get the most bang for your buck on curb appeal or if you just want to get some specific pointers on your own home, call one of our trusted agents. Not only can they assist you with ideas and planning, but they also have a network of professionals to help save you time and/or money when tackling this task.

image courtesy of numberstumper

Selling Your Home During the Holidays

December 15, 2015 by khproperties Leave a Comment

Don’t Fear The Holidays When Selling Your Home

Traditionally the summer months are the hot months of the real estate market (both literally and figuratively), but there are still tons of buyers and sellers looking to make their move in the fall in winter months. Listing your home for sale during the holidays does bring about some unique challenges, but with a little bit of attention, you can sell your home, even during the holidays.

Winter weather woes. Ok, let’s be real. We’re in Texas…South Texas at that. The weather is never really that bad. But we do hit a few really good cold snaps each year and the occasional ice storm heads our way as well. Those freezing temperatures can wreak havoc on our homes, especially when we aren’t accustomed to handling it. If your home is listed for sale and the temperatures drop, here are a few things you can do to make sure your asset is protected.

Cover pipes. Wrap them up so they don’t burst after freezing and warming does some contraction, pipe cracking magic on them.
Cover plants. Most big box stores sell specialty plant covers, but a good old sheet will also work. The idea is to trap the heat of the plants and keep them from flash freezing and then dying.
Keep thermostats set to reasonable temperatures. Especially if your house is vacant, you’ll want to keep the utilities (in this case the heater) on just enough to a) keep pipes inside from freezing and b) keep potential buyers comfortable enough that they can stand to spend some time admiring your beautiful property instead of making a mad dash for the warmth and comfort of their cars.
Doormats are your friend. With the winter weather you see gross wet conditions. It rains outside, buyers want to come inside, and then they bring the wetness and the dirt along with them. Consider putting a mat at the front door (both on the inside and the outside your front door) as well as an umbrella stand or jacket hook and towels. It’s those extra touches that keep your home at the top of the list.

Landscaping in a new and different way. While we touched a little before on keeping up with landscaping in the face of freezing temperatures, you also have to remember that much of our holiday season isn’t full of the frozen, but instead of the slightly chilly and breezy. We aren’t always so blessed as to have the gorgeous changing colors of fall, but that doesn’t mean we don’t see the fun part made up of the thousands of falling leaves waiting to be swept together into piles for eager children and squirrels. Keeping yards raked and adding heartier or fall-inspired florals are just a couple of additional ways to keep up the curb appeal in a different way than you might have to tackle in other seasons.
Holiday lights. Going Griswold may catch the eye of many an onlooker and inspire awe in others in the neighborhood you hope to soon be moving out of, but in may not be the best idea if your home is on the market during the holiday season. If Christmas lights are in your blood and you can’t help but add a little something here or there, just remember to keep it simple and understated. White icicle lights and a tasteful wreath – yes. Inflatable Santa circus with flashing reindeer, flying helicopters, and a jingle bell light show every half hour – not so much.
Holiday décor inside the home. Starting in September and October, millions of Americans go to their attics, sheds, or storage units and pull out tub after tub, box after box, labeled “fall décor,” “Halloween Stuff,” “Christmas Decorations,” “Hanukkah Supplies,” and more. Inside these tubs lie lights, statues, fake plants, ribbon, glitter, gourds, silver, candles, posters, wreaths, potpourri, pinecones, linens, and on and on and on. When you are selling your home, remember that less is quite often more, so you might want to think about scaling things back just for this year. However, these traditional supplies, decorations, and adornments are the traditions of many families and the things that make their houses feel like homes this time of year. So instead of just killing any holiday cheer, might we recommend some of the following ideas.

Having professional marketing photos taken before the addition of any décor items. While you hope that the home sells quickly, it may not, and there is little in this world more awkward than looking at an MLS listing in March or April that still includes a Christmas tree.
Keep it neutral. This is not one of those politically correct statements or even one trying to stop you from celebrating your religious beliefs or traditions. It’s about keeping your home as appealing and inviting to as many people as possible. For the same reasons that we advise a neutral color pallet, removal of highly personal items or photos, and other staging tips, we advise you to keep your holiday décor sophisticated, toned down a smidge, and inviting/appealing to all.
Remember the children. At Halloween, you don’t want to terrify a potential buyer’s five year old so badly that they never want to set foot near the property ever again. And later in the year another set of potential buyers may have a roaming toddler eager to touch decorative candles, poke at (and possibly accidentally break) valuable tree ornaments, or even slip and fall on some faux snow piled near a door. Just be mindful that you will have potential buyers coming through your home at any given time.

And speaking of guests, the last months of the year are definitely the biggest for hosting family and friends. This can, for obvious reasons, create some conflicts when trying to schedule potential buyers on tours of your house. If you’re serious about selling at this time, consider changing your showing instructions to require a little more advanced notice (so you can plan a family outing to see Santa) rather than cancelling showings all together. And keep in mind that you may have to communicate showings to more people than usual in order to help them go smoothly. Otherwise potential buyers may walk in on a very surprised Aunt Edna getting out of the shower because she didn’t get the showing memo that one time she came for Thanksgiving. Most often, the buyers who are out looking in bad weather or around the holidays are actually the most serious buyers (or they wouldn’t be out in the cold and/or away from their own families if they could help it) and we would love to see you make the most of those showings whenever possible.

image courtesy of Jamie McCaffrey

Want to sell your home faster than your neighbor?

September 2, 2014 by khproperties 1 Comment

Sell Your Home Faster With These Tips

No one wants to see their home linger on the market for months or worse yet, years. So we’ve put together a few tips to help you sell your home faster than the other homes in the neighborhood. Follow this advice and your home is much more likely to sell quickly and for more money. Most of these tips have been covered in numerous posts on this site, but often we see sellers who forget to look at their home through someone else’s eyes – it’s not the easiest thing to do. The key is to think of your home like any other product – you want it to stand out and be the best, so that someone will overlook all the other “products” in the neighborhood and select your home as the one they fall in love with.

To Sell Your Home Faster Than the Others, You Must be Different

In a world full of tract homes and suburban subdivisions, there is little that sets each home apart. Often, we see two homes in the same neighborhood with the exact same floorplan up for sale at the same time. If a buyer loves the floorplan, why would they pick your home over the other? You need to set yourself apart from the competition. Spruce up the landscaping, add new countertops, upgrade the windows…there are millions of remodels and renovations you can do. Be careful though, you don’t want to overdo it. Adding too much to your home can make your home over-improved for the area, which means you’ll wind up overpricing your home trying to recoup those costs and even though everyone loves upgrades, buyers are unlikely to purchase a home that is way overpriced for the area. There are lots of places you can go for remodeling ideas and advice and we found this cool iPhone app showing you the cost vs. value of many home renovations based on local trends and pricing. Don’t forget to ask your REALTOR® as well, they often see trends happening as they are looking at homes everyday, all day long.

If You Want to Sell Your Home Fast, Improve Your Curb Appeal

We often think of “curb appeal” as fixing up the landscaping, which is part of it, but also stand out in the street (careful of those cars!) and take a look at your house. Can you see missing shingles/roof tiles? Do the windows look dirty when the sunlight catches them? Are all of your curtains drawn, making the house look uninviting? Do the sidewalks and driveway look black from a few years and rain and dirt? Now move in closer. Does your walkway need the grass trimmed back from it? Are their wasp nests in the corners of your porch ceiling? Does the front light work? Are their cobwebs and other signs of insects? How about the door? Does it look clean? Could it use a coat of paint? Is the door handle an outdated style? All of these little items will be noticed by the buyers as they get out of the car and size up your home. The porch/front door area is especially crucial as they will be standing there for a few moments looking around as their agent navigates the lockbox and unlocks the door. This will be their first impression of your home, so let’s make sure it is a good impression.

If You Want to Sell Your Home Faster, You Must Clean the Clutter

We can’t say it enough – remove the clutter. Whether it’s a wall of family photos or too much furniture in a room, clutter will kill your time on market. In a perfect world, buyers would be able to see past those things, but most cannot. It’s just the way it is. Now is a good time to pack up some of the extras laying around and get a jumpstart on your move (since we’re going to sell your home fast, we want to be prepared!). Feel like you don’t know where to begin? Ask your agent for a recommendation for a stager – it will cost a bit of money, but it will be money well spent.

If You Want to Sell Your Home Faster, Get Your Repairs in Order

You know how that light switch has always been a bit loose or that little drip from the bathroom faucet never bothered you enough to get around to fixing it? Well, now is the time. Don’t give a buyer any excuse to pass on your home or negotiate a lower price. Buyers want a move-in ready home, much like you will when you sell your home and start looking for a new one. All those minor repairs that aren’t fixed up will leave a buyer wondering what else might have been neglected. Don’t give them that opportunity. Look for the tiniest of details, because that’s exactly what buyers will do. Like it or not, they will open cabinets, flush toilets, turn on faucets, test out light switches…they’ll find the problems if they exist. Take a weekend and knock out that honey-do list that’s been lingering for months. Not all that handy? Ask your real estate agent for some recommendations for a reliable handyman. Once again, a few dollars will go a long way.

The Fastest Way to Sell Your Home?

Now that you have your house in order, it’s time to get it on the market. The fastest way to sell your home? Do not overprice your home. “Testing the market” is never a good way to go. Unfortunately, it happens all too often and when it does, we often see those homes linger on the market for much longer and often get overlooked. Your REALTOR® will prepare a comparative market analysis (CMA) to help you find the perfect price to list and sell your home at.

Curious as to what you home is worth? Ask one of our real estate agents to put together a CMA and marketing plan to show you just how they will work to sell your home.

image courtesy of Tim Geers

based on an article from forbes.com

The Three Keys to Selling Your Home

October 18, 2013 by khproperties Leave a Comment

Key Factors to Selling Your Home

Thinking of selling your home? There are three key factors to prep your home and get it ready to put on the market. The three factors are staging, cleanliness, and curb appeal. While each seems like a no-brainer, they can often be overlooked. While each one is important in its own right, the combination of all three can lead to great results. Prepare yourself and your home and you’ll find that selling your home doesn’t have to be a difficult process.

Staging Your Home

Everyone loves to view model homes because all of the key factors are taken care of in meticulous detail. You too can have that model home appearance if you take a little time prepping prior to selling your home. Staging your own home can sometimes seem a little difficult, especially when it contains items that have been collected over the years. Eliminating pieces of furniture, packing away family photos, painting rooms, or just simply placing items in different areas may seem simple to others, but as a seller these items have meaningful memories and are just too hard to store away. Since we have lived with these items in the same position or room, we as sellers may not know how to properly place them to appeal to a buyer. You may find it easier to hire a professional stager or designer to help with that difficult part. Staging can make rooms appear larger, as well as more inviting and allow the potential buyer to view the important features of the home – which is always the ultimate goal.

Cleanliness and Your Home

No one likes to hear that their home is dirty…and in reality, your home probably isn’t, but the perception of the buyer is what counts when you’re selling your home. Buyers love to walk into a sparkling clean home. A clean home eliminates distractions and allows the buyer to focus on the main features of your home. A few areas to focus on are soap scum in the tub and on shower doors, cleaning all of the windows (inside and out), wiping down doors and handle areas, changing A/C filters and cleaning the dust from the vents, and clean and clutter-free countertops. Each of these items are areas that are constantly brought to my attention when showing homes. The longer a buyer stays in the home looking around, the more drawers are opened, vents are checked, and the more time they will spend on details.

The Curb Appeal of Your Home

When the buyer and their agent pull up to the home, the very first thing a buyer notices is the yard, trees, and general look of the front of the home. On the way to the front door, they’ll walk down the sidewalk and notice flowerbeds and maybe comment on the porch or front door. This is known as curb appeal – the appearance of your home from the curb as the buyer pulls up and parks. When selling your home, this first impression can make or break a deal – you want the buyer to be in love with the home before they even step foot inside. A well maintained yard can be the most valuable tool for selling your home. Remove the overgrown plants, trim the bushes, plant some new flowers, clean out flowerbeds of dead leaves, keep the grass green and mowed, and raise the canopies on tress – each one of these items help accentuate the look of your home and put buyers at ease as they prepare to look at what could possibly be their next home. Keep the front of your home looking neat and clean and buyers will not walk in your home with a negative vibe, but rather be excited that you took the time to take care of the curb appeal of your home, so you probably kept the home in great shape too.

Keep it Clean and Neat When Selling Your Home

All three key factors boil down to one simple idea: keep it clean and neat. The better your home looks, the easier it will be to sell and you’ll be more likely to get more money from selling your home. Buyer’s perceptions will affect their offer, so the better you can make that first impression, the better your chances are of them having positive perceptions.

I work with many in the industry who offer services that can help you with getting everything just right before selling your home. If you are in need of any of the services mentioned above please feel free to call and get quotes from these companies.

JB Designs Home Staging
Jenny Bartholomew
(210) 313-2717

The Cleaning Lady
Tina Stone
(210) 535-7424

Yard Works
Chris Jones
(210) 639-6936

image courtesy of kevinspencer