Real Estate- The Virtue of Zero Curb Appeal


I grew up in Beverly Hills, California, a town revered for its stately homes and gorgeous, movie-star mansions.

I personally dwelled in some of these trophy properties during sleepovers and parties.
But there was almost always something odd about those that were the most stunning from the street.

They were also the most disappointing or eerie when you got inside.

Most were spectacularly average, while the nicest interiors and most interesting floor plans went with homes that weren’t visible from the street.

Realtors are in love with curb appeal, the impression homes make from the street, when prospective buyers drive past. You can understand their affinity.

As a goofy, constantly mugging TV car salesman, Cal Worthington, once observed, “You can’t sell somebody something unless you can get their attention, first.”

Curb appeal accomplishes this feat, effortlessly from the viewpoint of realtors. When you pull up to an appealing home, it advertises and sells itself.

Still, there are several advantages to owning a home with what I will call “zero” curb appeal.

If you have a nice lifestyle, attractive furnishings or original artworks you’d like to protect, modesty is the best policy.

Why shout, “There’s wealth inside!” to any and all takers?

Do you remember the scene from The Godfather: Part II, when the Miami-based mob kingpin played by Lee Strasberg was visited by Michael Corleone?

What kind of home did the elder tough guy have? A simple, working-class tract-home that looked like zillions of others built in the 40’s and 50’s.

He knew better than to bring attention to himself.

Contrast that with the real-life home that gangster Bugsy Segal was assassinated in, on North Linden Drive in Beverly Hills.

It looks like a castle from the street, and I can tell you there was always a paranoid and other-worldly feeling inside, when I would visit.

The very finest home I ever visited was located at the end of a winding driveway, completely obscured by shrubbery. With a large lawn that we kids turned into a football field, you felt you were in another world.

Your home should be your castle, your fortress, and the most impressive and utilitarian are often the least obvious.

Dr. Gary S. Goodman is the best-selling author of 12 books and more than a thousand articles. A frequent expert commentator on radio and TV, he is quoted often in prominent publications such as The Wall Street Journal and Business Week. President of Clientrelations.com and Customersatisfaction.com, his seminars and training programs are sponsored internationally and he is a top-rated faculty member at more than 40 universities. Dynamic, experienced, and lots of fun, Gary brings more than two decades of solid management and consulting experience to the table, along with the best academic preparation and credentials in the speaking and training industry. Holder of a Ph.D. from the Annenberg School For Communication at USC, an MBA from the Peter F. Drucker School of Management, and a J.D. degree from Loyola, his clients include several Fortune 1000 companies along with successful family owned and operated firms. Much more than a “talking head,” Gary is a top mind that you'll enjoy working with and putting to use. He can be reached at: gary@customersatisfaction.com.

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