Did you know …?
US Research has shown that curb appeal, also known as “home staging” can reduce a listing's time on the market by half and could fetch as much as 10-15% more versus an empty home or a home not properly staged!
Curb appeal is attractiveness of the exterior of a residential or commercial property. The term was extensively used in the United States during the housing boom and continues to be used in the construction industry as an indicator of the initial appeal of a property and an entire community to prospective buyers.
Curb appeal is very similar to “home staging” where you ‘doll-up” your entire home, in and out” for viewing. Since the 1970s, real estate agent professionals have used staging as a marketing tool in the US and Canada. Not until the 1990’s did this real estate trend become a separate endeavor adopted by professional designers and decorators, real estate agents and home based career seekers. More recently, the trend of do-it-yourself home staging has become widely popular, as many books have been published on the subject.
Curb appeal matters to us all.
Whether you are staying or trying to sell your home, curb appeal is an indicator of the health of an entire community. Our community is conscientious, healthy and vibrant, which is apparent in our current high curb appeal!
Improving or maintaining the curb appeal of your home and your neighborhood
The next time you come home, stop across the street or far enough down the driveway to get a good view of your Condo and its surroundings. What is your first impression of the Condo and yard area? What do your family, friends, and neighbors see when they come to visit? Be honest.
Curb appeal can be accomplished by any number of methods including exterior decorations, re-painting, extensive attention to the landscaping. Here are some suggestions to beef up your “Curb Appeal” for spring:
Before you begin any exterior alterations/decorations, please check your condo buy-laws and guidelines. You can also call the Ridgefield Office with any questions.
If you had flowers planted in any of your front beds –prune away the dead growth to make room for the new growth.
Put a pot of flowers by your door or driveway
Get your windows washed so the spring sun sparkles on them- don’t forget your garage windows
Swept sidewalks and driveways are always a plus!
Clear any mold growing on your garage door – Call the Ridgefield Office for remedies.
If you have an old garage door – see if you can fit a new one in your budget.
If you have a dead bush or tree in your yard – call the office to see about it’s removal and/or replacement
Bring in bicycles, gardening tools and other things you use during the day.
We’re sure you can think of other good things to do!
The Condo Association will help with our curb appeal by mulching all our front beds, cutting and fertilizing our lawns, dealing with the insects and some weeding. So let’s go that extra mile - these are our homes and whether you are staying or trying to sell - curb appeal matters!
Enjoy your spring!
Note: This article was brought to you by the members of the Ridgefield Grounds Committee (RGC) and Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curb_appeal
{Sidebar: “The RGC welcomes YOU at all our meets. We are always seeking members to share ideas for making Ridgefield one of the most beautiful, safest and well managed communities in Massachusetts.)”}
Household
Filtration
Protect Your Home & Health
Owning a home is a big investment, one that you’ll want to protect. Clean water for your own personal use is priceless.
Protect your water heater, household plumbing, and appliances with a household filtration system. By filtering water at the main water supply, these systems reduce sediment, sand, and rust that can damage plumbing, appliance, as well as the water you drink and shower with.
One of our residents has
helped us to get an excellent bulk pricing on whole house filtration systems.
If you are interested please call the office so that we know if there’s enough
interest to put together a special.