The Importance of Curb Appeal – From A Cocoa Beach Resident
Any house, be it in a metropolitan city or a rural land, needs to have a curb appeal in order to sell. Experienced Realtors know this very well. This is a lesson to learn from the very moment you put your house up for sale, and I learned it the hard way.
I own a property in Cocoa Beach, home to around 12,000 people and a tourist spot to nearly 3 million visitors from around the world. This place is fascinating in its own way. There are many places to relax during your leisure time apart from the beach pier, including but not limited to, Alan Shepard beachfront park, Cocoa Beach Aquatic Center and Pool Complex and Thousand Islands Conservation Area. And if you are one of those planning to relocate to Cocoa Beach permanently, there are many houses that are up for sale just like mine. Some of the houses are ready to be occupied and others need serious upgrades.
Lessons Learned
I had yearned to live the beach life for years. What I learned from my Realtor who has more than three decades of experience in beach properties is that, curb appeal can go a long way at any time. On a Sunday night, after several weeks of putting this house on the market, I was talking to my agent about getting the price reduced since there were hardly any offer at the time. I was feeling down and out because of the urgency of this move. I thought having the price reduced may make potential buyers willing to listen to the offer. After all, buyers are looking for deals and are more receptive to reduced price. My agent suggested that I improve the curb appeal and not to wait too long to get it done, to stay in tune with other neighboring homes.
I agree, that this house needs to be upgraded on the outside. It needs a cleaning crew, probably a landscape architect to uplift the mood it is bringing right now. Though it’s closer to beach and all the perks that living in Cocoa Beach offers to its residents, not having the desired curb appeal is just as bad as selling a house during the recession. My real estate agent has years of experience with this type of homes in the area. Although built recently and in an upscale neighborhood and despite all the modern features in every room inside, the front and back yard lacks the charm. It’s plain with no vegetation or design element.
“I’m sorry but your yard looks plain and boring. Imagine that someone who wants to buy a home has looked at a dozen houses around and is a little tired by the time he or she is at your driveway. But when they drive up and see nothing in the yard, they might feel discouraged to explore what is inside”.
said the agent.
In fact, he proceeded to say that this kind of thing has happened to him numerous times. And I totally get it, that my agent is not trying to interfere. Right now, I have got a lot on my mind, but this thing needs immediate attention.
Real Estate Stories
I have heard stories and seen real estate statistics from my agent about how hard it is to sell a home that is customized and built according to individual tastes. What piqued my interest is about a story where the buyer was particularly looking for a house that was pet free from the time it was built. He said one of his clients had a houseful of pets. It literally looked like a zoo where people had to walk on the limited space due to hutches and cages occupying most of the rooms. The owner later closed the zoo, but the house still smelled like it. The asking price had to be reduced even after many attempts to make the place odor free. The buyers had a sharp nose despite the baking cinnamon cookie in the oven.
The lawn of my front yard with 100 square feet of sod from the local nursery is looking great. They are going to be mowed, weeds eliminated but it’s not that hard of a labor and surprisingly cheap. Two weeks into the yard renovation and the agent has brought four offers that look enticing. What a difference it makes!