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If you are thinking about putting your lakefront house on the market, you may be looking for ways to help your lake house sell faster and for more money. Staging your home is the act of setting your home up so that it is visually appealing to potential buyers.

It is very effective to stage both the inside and outside of your lakefront house. These are 3 tips to make the exterior more appealing:

1. It is a good idea to go out to the street, take a few minutes and look around. What do potential buyers see? Your goal is to make a good first impression on them. Having well maintained landscaping, a manicured lawn, and a fresh paint job on the exterior show that You the current owner has had pride in the house and have taken good care of it. This good first impression will place the prospective buyers in a good mood and will reflect on how the remainder of the house is perceived.

2. Next, step outside your front door and close the door; then stand on the stoop and look around for 5 minutes. While the Realtor fumbles for keys and tries to figure out how to open the door, the clients are standing behind and looking around. So what are they seeing? Dead plants, old Halloween decorations in the middle of January, cobwebs? Again, not a good first impression!

By taking the time to clean the entry, your buyers will see you have made an effort to care for the lake house. If you have furniture on your front porch, you might want to put a fresh coat of paint on them as well for that extra touch of care.

3. The backyard will likely be the last place your prospective buyer looks as many Realtors will hold the best for last – the lake. If the lake is visible from the house it will certainly make a lasting impression. Now the lake is the biggest selling point, the yard and walking path to the lake should be well maintained. Trimming back overgrown shrubbery and trees, raking up unwanted straw or leaves, and mulching plant beds is a good start. Adding a fresh coat of paint to the existing furniture, new furniture or accessories such as bird baths, globes, etc are also a plus. If you have a dock at the lake, is it in good condition or does it need some TLC?

And the biggest tip of all? Think of yourself as the potential buyer looking at your lakefront house for the very first time. What impressions do you get? Would you buy your lake house? What changes would you like to see made before you put an offer to purchase your house?

You may have to make a small investment in staging your home’s exterior, but you’ll recoup your investment when your lake house sells. By staging your house properly, you’ll shorten the period of time your home is on the market and get most if not all of your asking price.

Hubert Miles is the founder of Waterfront Houses USA, an internet listing service that offers Lakefront Houses For Sale and Lake Houses For Sale available in the US and Canada.