First impressions are everything when it comes to your listings, ESPECIALLY with most homeowners finding their future home online. With thousands of homes for sale to scroll through, having exceptional curb appeal in the cover image is extremely important to snag a potential buyer's attention.

Curb appeal is more than just tidying up the front of the home, and it involves making the home look inviting and attractive at first glance. All the marketing in the world can't prevent an unattractive exterior from turning away clients and losing you deals.

Whether a potential buyer is viewing your listing's cover photo online or driving up to your listing for a viewing, you want to ensure that the home's exterior is attractive enough for them to step inside and see what else the home has to offer.

Below you will find a complete checklist to crush the curb appeal of your listing:

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Exciting Entrances

Prepping the property for potential buyers starts with the outside. The front entrance is the focal point of most cover photos and the first feature that buyers will see before entering the home.

A few quick and easy improvements to the front entrance of the house can help boost a buyer's perception of the property and encourage them to step inside:

• Clean up the yard and exterior 
• Clean windows (inside and out!)
• Clean doors
• Remove clutter and trash
• Pressure wash the driveway or sidewalk
• Paint the front door in a bright color 
• Update hardware, light fixtures, and house numbers
• Personalized accents
• Welcome mat
• Decorations (think flags, wreaths, etc.

Depending on the budget, not everything in the above list may be achievable or make sense for the homeowner to complete before moving on to their new home. Luckily, an outdoor image enhancement can clean up the home's exterior, brighten the paint, and provide a cover photo that will pop against the competition.

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Outdoor Oasis

With the events of the past two years, having an outdoor oasis has moved to the top of buyer's lists. Setting up an outdoor oasis creates an exterior living space, perfect for kicking back and relaxing after a long day or hosting a weekend BBQ with friends and family.

Creating a relaxing space to unwind can be done with all sizes of decks when adequately staged. Think bistro sets or a rocking chair for smaller porches and decks, while patio sets, outdoor dining tables, and propane fire pits are perfect for larger porches and decks.

Checking off the below exterior staging tips and tricks will ensure the outdoor oasis catches buyer's eyes:

• Make it cozy with comfy cushions and extra throw pillows
• Create a cohesive color scheme 
• Add plants and outdoor-friendly décor elements like lanterns and mats

Whether the homeowner's patio furniture is out of date or doesn't have any patio furniture to begin with, exteriors can be virtually staged to give an idea of what could be created with the outdoor space.

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Lush Landscaping

A well-manicured front lawn shows that the home and property have been well-cared for and maintained throughout the years. The yard and landscaping are likely the first things a buyer will notice when looking at the cover photo or driving up to the listing - and nothing is more unappealing than brown grass and an overgrown yard.

While green grass is essential, if all the items below are checked off you'll have a yard that makes the neighbor's envious:

• Mow the lawn
• Remove weeds
• Trim hedges, bushes, and trees
• Spread fresh mulch in garden beds
• Plant bright flowers for a pop of color
• Planter boxes under windows are a quick and easy way to bring color to the front of your home
• Flower pots on the front step can temporarily add color without spending a lot of time and money on landscaping

Maybe you don't have a green thumb, or if landscaping just isn't your forte, an outdoor image enhancement can be a great alternative to turn an unattractive front lawn into the best-looking lawn on the block. Green grass and blue sky edits are a quick and cost-effective way to make the yard look well maintained.

Try out our outdoor image enhancements for just $5/photo and see how easy it is to increase your curb appeal online.

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