Create curb appeal

National Association of Realtors ® statistics show that condominium and co-op sales accounted for nearly 13 percent of all home sales in 2009, and a much higher percentage than that in some markets, but there are still so many condos for sale that   real estate agents trying to market them need to find ways to create curb appeal and make listings stand out from the crowd.

Real estate agents have several recommendations that the seller cost little or nothing. These include things as simple as sprucing up the front door, to make sure the property elicits a good first impression from potential buyers. It is recommended that the front entrance be kept free of clutter, such as wind chimes and other knick-knacks. Having a a clean welcome mat is also advisable, and perhaps a health potted plant on the porch.

Realtors representing the listing are also advised to introduce themselves to the neighbors, thereby hopefully encouraging them to be friendly toward prospective buyers who come to view the property.

Highlighting the best attributes of the property, which does not necessarily have to be the front of the buildings, is also recommended. For example, if the front of the building is not particularly eye-catching, but there is a pool or nicely landscaped yard in back, the rear of the building can be displayed in the main property photos.

Also, Realtors® handling properties in multi-family buildings are also encouraged to create curb appeal, even though the condos themselves can’t be seen from the outside. This can be done by keeping the public areas neat and clean. Some suggestions include adding a nice basket for overflow mail in the common mail area so it won’t be scattered around. Making sure the hallways and stairs are vacuumed or swept, and kept free of clutter, is another good idea when trying to sell condos.

Meeting with representatives of condo or homeowners associations, especially if there are several condos for sale in the building, is also among the recommendations being put forward. Attending condo association meetings is another good idea for Realtors®. These meetings provide ideal opportunities to discuss or suggest simple improvements that can benefit everyone living in the building, as well as the salespeople trying to make their listings stand out from the crowd. Again, these would mainly be inexpensive improvements, such as painting or otherwise sprucing up the lobby, planting flowers outside, or adding lighting that would brighten up the exterior and create curb appeal of the property for sale, and attracting people searching for condos.