There are very few things a seller can control about their home other than price. Two of those are the condition of the home inside and out. These two myths discuss the condition of your home.
Myth: Once potential buyers see the inside of your home, curb appeal won't matter.
Truth:
The first decision buyers make, often before they think of price, is the area or neighborhood in which they want to live. You can't do anything about the neighborhood where your home is located, but you have a lot of control once potential buyers decide they like your specific neighborhood.
The truth is buyers probably won't make it to the inside of your home if the outside does not appeal to them. Many buyers drive by a home before deciding whether or not to look inside. Your home's exterior will have less than a minute to make a good first impression. I have heard buyers say,"If they don't care about the outside, they probably don't care about the inside." Ouch!
Spruce up the lawn, trim shrubs and trees, and weed the garden. Clear the walkways and driveways of leaves and other debris. Remove kid's toys, lawn mowers, put trash cans out of sight. Repair gutters and eaves, touch up the exterior paint and repair or resurface cracked driveways and sidewalks. Paint the front door, place potted flowers out front, hang a wreath on the door and put out a pleasing welcome mat for added curb appeal.
It may not be fair, but the outside packaging is the magnet that draws potential buyers inside to see your beautiful home.
Myth: Once potential buyers fall in love with the exterior look of your home, you put interior improvements on the back burner.
Truth:
Have you ever seen a movie trailer and thought, "That looks like a good movie, I believe I'll see it.", only to leave the movie later completely disappointed? A beautiful exterior promises a beautiful interior of equal quality. If buyers walk in the front door and are presented with an interior that doesn't live up to the expectations created by the exterior, they will be disappointed and sometimes offended. Buyers have no qualms about walking right out the front door within 60 seconds if the house doesn't compare to the quality of the exterior.
Unfortunately for sellers, it is suicide to forget either the exterior or the interior; both are important.