So, by now, the buzz-word, “Curb Appeal”, is one we have all heard a million times.

We all know that when we are selling a property, the exterior presentation is as important (sometimes more important) as the interior. So, when selling a detached dwelling or a townhouse/row-house with a secondary entrance and/or mini-yard, buyers are becoming more educated and mindful regarding exterior details than can either make or break a sale.

Now, rather than reviewing a list of important maintenance/cleaning of the exterior of detached dwellings and townhouses, we are going to shift our focus to CONDOS.

On a daily basis,  I hear similar concerns from sellers who are listing condos. Many condo owners seem to take a “hands-off-the-wheel” approach to exterior maintenance. When they originally bought the condo, they were told that their condo fees would include full and regular maintenance of all “common property”. So, the tendency of condo owners is to sit back and just accept what they get.

As an Association Manager, I am trained to know that when a buyer comes to view a property, or views photos of it on-line, its appearance is incredibly important to them. I know for a fact that when a buyer drives up and starts seeing issues with up-keep, landscaping neglect, or structural issues, they will automatically start worrying about the strength of the condo’s reserve fund, whether or not there is an on-site resident condo board in existence, or whether the property management company employed by the board is any good.

Not a good start to the buyer’s viewing experience.

We have to remember that, even though your property is within a condo building, buyer’s still want to feel proud and happy to come “home” at the end of a day. There are many steps you can take to improve your condo’s curb appeal when selling. How much you actually take on is all dependent on how quickly you would like to sell.

As exterior maintenance is the responsibility of the property management company and their contractors, you don’t have as much control over the curb appeal, unfortunately. But, there are a few things you can do.

*           Have a walk around your condo building and pick up any garbage or debris on the premises.

• If it is Spring/Summer/Fall, check to see if there is any over-growth of weeds anywhere and do some quick weeding, disposing of the weeds.
• How clean is the glass/door on the main entrance? You could grab some glass cleaner and some paper towels and give them a clean.
• Have you checked lately to ensure that your suite buzzer system is in good working order? If it isn’t, it is a good idea to make that call to your property management company to have that repaired as soon as possible.
• Are the building address numbers clearly visible from the street/avenue, making it effortless for Realtors(R) and buyers to find?
• Is the sidewalk up to the building clean? Does it need sweeping or washing? If you have time, this can also make a huge impact.
• Are there any broken fixtures on the exterior of the building? If so, look into the cost of repairing or replacing them, contact your property management company, let them know it needs to be done, and if it won’t be taken care of in a timely manner, think about offering to take care of it yourself, and negotiate a reduction on your condo fees in return for your efforts, and ask for reimbursement for any receipts you will have.
• Also look for any light bulbs that are burnt out and replace them.
• How tidy and clean is the common area in your building? Are the carpets vacuumed? Are the walls clean? Is there any re-painting required? Are there flyers or junk-mail scattered all over the mail-box area? Are there any odors? Are there any decrepit/broken/damaged mailbox doors?
• What is the condition of the hallways leading up to your particular suite? What is the condition of the exterior of your suite door?

The state/appearance of the exterior and common areas in a condo building creates the curb-appeal and makes a dramatic impact on buyers. These things will describe to the buyer the quality of the property management company, and get them wondering about the health of the reserve fund and the physical make-up of the existing condo board. Anything you do in these areas to put the buyer’s mind at ease will be well worth your while and will yield you a hefty return-on-investment.  Try to remember back to when you first came to view this condo to purchase. Do you remember walking up to the exterior, and then walking through the common areas? Did anything jump out at you as being either pleasing or worrisome? What were those things? What were the thoughts you had at that time? This helps to identify now, when you are selling, what will be important to buyers. Be pro-active here.

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