REAL ESTATE KIRKLAND
JULY 2011
Your guide to Real Estate and home buying & selling
Why is Landscape & Curb Appeal So Important? the move, squaring away all the details for your new housing arrangement, trying to work, care for family, and still have some sort of personal time. That’s a lot to handle. However, it’s no excuse for not making your landscape appealing, especially when you think of the consequences. The consequences are: not selling your home at all. Lots of people ask me what the return on investment is for landscaping. It’s a hard decision for many to spend more money on a home in order to sell it! The reality is: home buyers look at pictures on the internet and make split second decisions about whether they are going to even call their broker about walking through a home. How do you know that investing in the landscaping for your home will give you a good return on your
investment? Fortunately, the results and statistics prove it’s worthwhile. Landscaping can add as much as 8% to the resale value of a home and speed its sale by as much as 6 weeks. Here’s a quick and tidy plan to help give your home a beautiful “cover”. Remember, buyers are well-read. They will judge a home by its exterior. And, if they’re really interested in your home but the outside is a mess, they’ll make sure that becomes a major negotiating tool in the home-buying process. Here are a few tips on the big exterior influencers. Do not have an unkempt lawn. It shows a lack of care for the home. If the lawn is beyond repair, pull it up and try drought-resistant landscaping. If there’s a chance to revive it, a fresh-cut lawn is one way to showcase the appreciation the
• Kirkland Resident for over 23 years.
• Very Patient with 1st Time Buyers, and Short Sale Sellers • Relocation, Investors, 1031 Exchanges
ABR, CNE, CRS, SRES, GRI, Platinum Producer
206-226-0226 www.SarahReed.com
502266
The Difference is in the Details
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Northwest Contemporary w/Sound & Mt Views! Beautiful 4 bed, 3.50 bath home with gorgeous updates & impressive Sound, Mountain, and Island views. Hardwoods, granite counters, Travertine entry, designer paint! MIL w/2nd kitchen, Bonus-Home Theatre, separate entry & garage. Stunning curb appeal & landscape set off the Young, Rutledge architectural details. Enormous view decks for entertaining or viewing your waterfall and koi pond-beautiful lawn & enchanting landscape. 3 car garage. $747,800
ing to HGTV. Clear the clutter from the porch. Sometimes the porch becomes an extension of the garage or tool shed. Kids’ bicycles, toys, and people’s shoes accumu[ more CURB APPEAL page 10 ]
Clive Egdes 206-251-1680
Windermere Real Estate/Central, Inc.
Clive@Windermere.com www.Kirklandhomelistings.com
Specializing in Kirkland Properties.
“Exceptional Service, Extraordinary Results”
Sparkling Lake Washington Views!
• 10+ years of Full Time Real Estate Service!
Sarah Reed
homeowner has had for his property. Also, note this tip from HGTV. Don’t cut your lawn too short. You want to remove only a third of the blade of grass. Any lower than that “and you start stunting the grass,” accord-
Top of the world Lake Washington views in Westhill Place! Custom luxury 6 bedroom, 3 ½ bath home with every bell & whistle for your enjoyment. Gorgeous double moldings, real cherry cabinets & built ins, slab granite, top of the line stainless appliances, sound system thru-out, 2 giant BBQ decks w/ views & spiral staircase. Central A/C, 2 gas furnaces, 2 H20 tanks, 2 laundry rooms, 3 car garage, 3 fireplaces, bonus room + home theater + home gym/flex space. Security system, sprinkler & drip system. Much more! A rare opportunity @ $728,820
Newer in Downtown Kirkland! Cool & Contemporary in Downtown Kirkland. 1 Bedroom + Den space! Quiet location overlooking courtyard and trees. Large, West facing patio takes full advantage of the sun. Great-room floorplan designed to maximize enjoyment. Granite counters & Gas range. Master Suite features Walk-in closet. Huge full bath with tile, granite & soaking tub. Deeded storage locker is just down the hall. Secure parking garage, elevator to your door. Pet friendly building, W/S/G + Gas included. $210,000
Eastside Brokers
503450
If you’re like many sellers, buyers. If your answer was listing your home for sale “no,” then you have some creates a challenge to keep work to do. While many the home show-ready at all sellers may think that times. That can be difficult only interior pictures of enough. Consider this their home posted on the notion, though. No matter Multiple Listing Service how nice the inside is, if the are what buyers really care outside isn’t invitabout, there’s more ing, you’re likely to it. to lose prospective The outside can buyers BEFORE be a huge roadthey ever set foot block for buyin your home. ers. If potential That’s because in buyers pass by real estate, buyers your home while often do “judge a cruising through a book by its cover”. neighborhood and Debbie Walter see your for sale Take a good Realtor - RE/MAX NW look at your home sign, but also see a from the outside. broken down gate, Step across the leaky sprinklers, street and decide if you cracked driveways, a lousy think buyers would want exterior paint job, and kids’ to see more based on your old toys strewn across a home’s “cover”. brown lawn, they’ll keep on If you answered “yes,” cruising to the next home then your job is easy. Make on the market. sure the inside won’t be Chances are you’re busy disappointing to those same getting the kids ready for