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How To Have Your Home Make A Great First Impression To Buyers

When you meet someone for the first time, what's the first thing you do? You look them up and down, notice how they're dressed, listen to the inflection in their voice, watch their mannerisms, etc. You then use that information to help make an initial judgment of that person (whether consciously or subconsciously). This is called a first impression.

Well, the same holds true for buyers when they first drive up to your home to preview it. What buyers see when they first drive up to your home will set the tone for the rest of their visit. It's the buyer's first impression of your home and you want to make it a good one.

The number one thing when it comes to having your home make a great first impression on a buyer is the curb appeal. Part of curb appeal is landscaping, especially in the front yard. Your front yard is one of the first things buyers see when the arrive at your home. It's also going to be used in the picture of your home that buyers see when they're browsing online.

Now you don't have to go crazy and spend gobs of money or even hire a landscaping company. All you really need is about a few hundred dollars and a few hours to a day of your time.

Here are some of the things you can do:

• Throw some grass seeds or sod down ahead of your home going on the market
• Make sure your lawn is cut at all times
• Spray for weeds
• Lay down fresh mulch just before your home goes on the market (you can also look at a different color mulch that will go along with the colors of the flowers, siding, shutters, etc)
• Neatly trim bushes, ivy, trees, etc.
• Plan some bushes, small trees, etc.
• Plant seasonal flowers that go along with the color scheme of the outside of your home
• Place or hang planters on your front porch if you have one
• Throw in some solar lights in the mulch/grass alongside the walk-way to your front door (you can get inexpensive ones at Home Depot or Lowe's)

If you have a really bad brown thumb, you could always hire a landscaper or bribe a friend or family member to do it for you. It'll cost you more (including a future favor to your friend ot family member), but it may be well worth it.

Note: If you're thinking about planting/cutting down trees or large bushes, you may want to check with your HOA regarding the community bylaws/rules. And don't plant things so close to the house that the buyer's Home Inspector brings it up as a fault during the Home Inspection (I've seen it happen often).

Consider JK Moving and Storage If Looking For A Mover In Loudoun County

If you're looking for a local (or long distance) mover in Loudoun County, you may want to check out JK Moving and Storage. I just moved a few weeks ago and used them for the move. I was very pleased with their services and thought I'd share my experience with you...

• Matt Plumer (Sales Rep) showed up exactly on time for his appointment
• He was quick though not rushed and efficient in going through the house and taking notes
• Matt prepared a quote for me on the spot and explained exactly how he came up with that pricing
• He explained how JK comes up with their hourly rates and prices so that I fully understood their costs and how/where they make money
• Matt went over their insurance in detail
• I was given an arrival time of between 8 and 10am the day of the move. The movers should up at 7:45am (very happy about that)
• They used padding, carpets, wrapping, you name it...they made sure that everything was prepared correctly before hauling it to the truck
• They took apart the bed and other large items for easier transport
• They were quick yet, careful when carrying everything to the truck and they packed it well and safely inside
• They drove carefully and slowly while following me to the new house
• They were careful when carrying the furniture into the new house
• They put everything in the room that it was labeled for. If they weren't sure, they asked
• They unwrapped everything and put things such as the bed back together
• They finished a little ahead of schedule and the final fee was actually less than what Matt had originally quoted me
• Everything was perfectly in tact, no scratches or dings on anything nor the walls, rails, etc.
• The movers were all very pleasant
• Matt called me afterwards to see how things went and to see if I was pleased with JK's services

Overall, it was a great experience! I would definitely hire JK Moving and Storage again in the future.

Here's Matt Plumer's contact information in case you're interested in contacting him:

• Email - mplumer@jkmoving.com
• Cell - 703.926.3874