Green For Real Estate Gold: House Flipper's Quick Tips For Massive Curb Appeal

When prospective buyers arrive at the house you've just rehabbed and put on the market, you want the first impression to be totally awesome. A quick sale will make your investment of time and money profitable for a home flipping venture. But before the buyers even step inside to see how perfect the place is for their lifestyle, they're going to make initial judgments based on the home's exterior appearance. When you're going for the gold – a signature on the sales agreement – it's smart to think green. Lush, green turf and plants give the house curb appeal to influence your prospects' buying decision. Because you're working fast to turn a profit, you won't have time to grow grass from seed, but you can create handsome landscaping with quick fixes that transform the front yard from drab to desirable.

Install Sod for Green Turf Appeal

Replace a tired-looking front lawn with weed-free grass sod for a yard that looks well-manicured and ready for homeowners to enjoy. A turf installation contractor can turn the job around for you in just a couple days, or slightly more for larger properties. The process involves

• removing the top layer of existing grass – weeds, brown spots and all,
• adding a layer of top soil for good root penetration as the new grass grows,
• and, laying out rolls of new sod in a snug, staggered pattern that looks smooth and even.

Add Evergreens for Visual Balance

Tall, narrow evergreen shrubs on both sides of the front door will draw your prospects' eyes to the feature that says "Welcome Home." Place low-growing evergreen shrubs along the foundation to soften the visual impact of concrete. Then give the overall landscape a sense of balance by grouping three to five medium and tall bushes, such as holly and juniper, at the corner of the yard. Round out the landscape design with a row of petite boxwood bushes lining the front walkway or the side of the driveway.

Accent With Annuals for Splashes of Color

Put the finishing touches on your curb appeal project with bright-colored petunias and geraniums in sunny areas. For places that get very little sun, use impatiens and begonias in shades of red and yellow to brighten the darker areas. You can even add color in the winter by setting planters filled with poinsettias near the front porch.

With the fresh-laid sod, green shrubbery and colorful flowers in place, you're ready to show your investment property to its best advantage.