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Curb Appeal Matters More Than Price To Potential Buyers

Make small improvements on outside & inside that won't cost a fortune 


VICTORIA -- Despite what dear old Mom said, a lot of Canadians do judge a book by its cover, at least if the book is a house. 

A recent study of Canadians shopping for a house found that first impressions, that is, a house's curb appeal, matter more than price, lot size and square-footage. 

Nationally, 46 per cent of respondents said their yard catches their attention before anything else. The survey also found that 40 per cent say that a deck or patio is the most important backyard feature to consider in a prospective home. 

The study points to the importance of first impressions when it comes to selling a home. 

"Curb appeal involves making small improvements to the inside and outside of the home that won't cost a fortune, but can dramatically impact the look of your home," says John DeFranco, Home Depot Canada's merchandising director. 

Here are a few tips from Home Depot on how to pretty up your house: 
* Add potted plants around the doorway and porch. Place shrubs along the driveway and keep grass neatly cut to showcase your home. 

* Repaint the garage door, front door and window shutters. Clean the windows. 

* Renew hardwood by refinishing and staining it to make it look brand new. 

Consider replacing worn floors altogether. 

* Update lighting fixtures and apply a new coat of paint to the house interior to erase the wear of everyday living. 

* If you're going to invest in renovations, consider starting with the kitchen, the most important room to prospective buyers. If that is beyond the reach of your budget, consider replacing the appliances and counters, then simply refacing the cabinets and hardware. 

Leger Marketing surveyed 1,500 Canadian women between the ages of 18 and 49 years for this survey, which was commissioned by Home Depot Canada. The data was weighted against Statistics Canada to ensure a sample representative of the Canadian adult population. The maximum margin of error for a sample of 1,500 respondents is plus or minus 2.5 per cent, 19 times out of 20. 

--CanWest News Service 
NOTE: The comments contained on this web site are for information purposes only and do not constitute legal advice.