You may hear the term “curb appeal” thrown around a lot when selling a home, but have you ever considered your neighbours’ curb appeal? A recent Leger survey reveals that 51% of Canadians say seeing neighbouring homes in poor condition is a deal breaker when house hunting, with 18% saying messy neighbouring properties is their top deal breaker.
Evidently, the exterior of a home extends beyond the home itself. Canadians don’t just value the house they’re buying, but the lifestyle that comes with it. The appeal of a beautiful property that’s been well staged and maintained can be brought down by messy neighbours.
Take a look at the top 5 deal breakers for Canadians when shopping for a home:
51% – Neighbouring homes in poor condition
41% – Lack of curb appeal
40% – Room sizes are smaller than how they appear in marketing photos
36% – Too much competition from other buyers
28% – Too close to bars, restaurants, and stores
Shifting Market Conditions
Right now, buyers have more inventory to look at and more time to consider their options. It’s imperative that sellers enter the market as strategically as possible.
“When we talk about sellers adapting to current conditions, we’re not just referring to price adjustment. Sellers should be mindful of every detail of their property—even the ones they can’t control.”
—Don Kottick, President of REMAX Canada
Some More Dealbreakers:
27% – Untidy and cluttered homes during showings
18% – Unhelpful real estate agents
11% – Sellers being present during showings
What You Can’t Control
At the end of the day, you have no control over the state of your neighbour’s home and property. If their roof is falling apart, there isn’t much you can do. However, you can try to boost their curb appeal while working on yours. Politely approach your neighbours and offer to cut their lawn at the same time you’re cutting yours, or even offer to do yardwork. Most people won’t turn down the help!
What You Can Control
Of course, the one thing within your control is the state of your home. Interior elements such as staging and modern features can help sell a home—but as you’ve seen, the exterior of your home may be even more important.
Landscaping, lawn maintenance, and touching up exterior features can go a long way. If your door is looking worn down, lay down a fresh coat of paint. If your lawn needs some sprucing up, plant some flowers. There are a lot of relatively easy and low-cost changes you can make to up the curb appeal of your home.
Take a look at our tips for lazy landscaping—there are a lot of things you can do to your yard that are both cost and time effective!
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