Many new construction neighborhoods end up looking a little matchy-matchy, in our area often with few or no trees since they are often developed on what was farmland.  There are a few things that can make your new home look a little more custom built and complete and stand out a little in your neighborhood when the time comes to sell.  One drawback when buying new in a military town, is that you will more likely be selling at the same time as several of your neighbors since you all received your orders at the same time you arrived in the development, it’s logical that you might be leaving at the same time as well.  So, preparing with well thought out landscaping that will be mature or at the least thriving when you leave and a few touches, you might be a lovely standout for buyers when the time comes.

1. Trees!!!  And evergreen!!!  You may have no control over when you have to move, PCS orders can come almost any time of year.  Plan for your home to look its best no matter the season with plantings that look good and have COLOR!!!  I’ve listed some examples in other articles, but I can’t stress it enough.

2. Many builders save money by installing only WHITE garage doors and WHITE front doors for an entire development.  You would be surprised to see how handsome and “finished” a house looks simply with those two doors painted to match the shutters on the home or a complementary color. . .need ideas?  Visit your home improvement store to look at exterior paint color combinations.  Your home is probably vinyl as well as the shutters, which you really can’t change but a colorful door makes your home extra welcoming.  One of my favorite homes in a development I visited this week was grey with black shutters, the garage door was painted black and the front door a merry shade of red, it looked sharp compared to its neighbors and only for the cost of some time and paint.

3. Jazzy hardware.  Small details make a neat difference.  Think of adding shutterdogs to your shutters just for looks (they won’t be functional but they do look nice on a home).  Visit http://www.jamespetersonline.com/shutterdogs.htm to see examples.  Kick plates and door knockers to match your hardware are always a nice touch and of course serve a nice function too.

4. Something other than builder grade fixtures.  I am not suggesting your break the bank here,  after all , when you go to sell, an appraiser will be using your neighbor’s homes to justify the price of yours, so nothing extravagant but discount home stores like Lowe’s and Home Depot have great stock options that are much more interesting than what the builder probably installed.  Even if you only switch out the fixtures visible from the street, it’s a nice touch and gives your home more personality.  Your local home improvement store no doubt has classes or hire an electrician to make the switch out for you.

5. Make sure there’s a theme.  I love palm trees as much as the next person, especially having spent a large chunk of my childhood in Hawaii, but I have to say, I don’t think palm trees when I look at a brand new farm house style structure in a huge subdivision.  Think of how all the small pieces work together to create a cohesive “look”. . .think not of just what things you like yourself but what, in context with your home, looks “right”. . .you will probably know when you see it.

6. I make house calls.  I’m more than happy to meet over coffee to help you figure out improvements or changes that will make your home more enjoyable to live in and more attractive to buyers down the line. . .give me a call or shoot me an email, perhaps even with pictures and I’ll point you in the right direction.

Happy accessorizing!

http://www.McKenzieSellsHomes.com   http://www.910Homes.net