4/18/2005
ALLIED VAN LINES REVEALS DESIGNER SECRETS FOR CREATING CURB APPEAL
Update Exterior, Improve Home Sale Potential in Time for Busy Moving Season
CHICAGO, April 18, 2005 —The phrase, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression,” is never more true than when you’re trying to sell a house. Experts say home sellers have only a few key minutes to spark interest from potential buyers, so it pays to have the best-dressed house on the block.
The busy 2005 moving season is here (May – September), and Allied Van Lines has teamed up with top landscape designer Daniel C. Owens, featured on the Home & Garden Television (HGTV) show “Curb Appeal,” to offer homeowners simple steps that create curb appeal and improve a home’s sale potential – most for less than $500 and a weekend’s worth of time.
In addition to providing expert advice, Allied is giving Americans the opportunity to flaunt their home-improvement skills by entering the “Curb Appeal Quick Fix” contest. From April 18 through May 31, 2005, consumers nationwide are invited to visit Allied’s Web site at www.allied.com and submit their five best tips to improve a home’s exterior and create curb appeal. The grand-prize winner will receive a $5,000 Lowe’s? Gift Card.
“In order to make a house appealing to prospective buyers, it is important to create attractive finishing touches that make it stand out from the curb,” Owens said. “Luckily for homeowners, there are a variety of ways to update a home’s exterior with minimal effort and maximum results.”
“For many Americans, selling a home is one of the most stressful aspects of relocation,” said Tim Schneeman, general manager, Allied Van Lines, the world’s largest mover of families. “By providing quick and easy ways to update a home’s exterior and make it more attractive to buyers, Allied is reinforcing its commitment to simplify the relocation process for millions of Americans on the move.”
Create Curb Appeal – Top Designer Tips
To begin, Owens advises homeowners to take a step back and view the house from across the street with a critical eye. Look for positive elements that can be highlighted and negative areas that should be concealed. A black and white photograph is another great place to start, since color can often affect your perception of problem areas.
Take a moment and identify the home’s style. Is it Mediterranean? Colonial? Contemporary? Owens believes every home has an original spark or “essence” that can be emphasized with the right accents. Incorporate that theme into the landscape with a few key features that set the stage for visitors, such as basic landscape lighting, a coordinating mailbox or house numbers.
According to Owens, one of the quickest ways to freshen up a home’s appearance is with paint. “Nothing creates curb appeal more than color,” he said. “A simple palette of neutral tones such as warm browns, ivory or sage green is a great choice for a home’s exterior color.” Neutral tones can then be complemented with stronger accent colors to provide more of a “pop” from the curb. Keep in mind that two or three colors are usually enough to make a statement.
For prospective buyers, walking through the front door of a home represents a new opportunity and they should be able to visualize many possibilities. Make the journey to the front door one of discovery, not one of clutter, Owens said. The front door should be visible from the street, and the hardscape, or walkway, should be clean and free of cracks.
For more designer tips and to receive a FREE Creating Curb Appeal brochure, visit www.allied.com. Each year, more than 40 million Americans pack up their belongings and relocate to new homes and communities. More than half of these moves take place between May and September. To recognize this busy time and assist Americans on the move, Allied has declared May as National Moving Month.
NOTE: LOWE'S? and the GABLE MANSARD DESIGN are registered trademarks and service marks of LF, LLC. Lowe’s is not affiliated with Allied Van Lines, Inc.
About Allied Van Lines
Established in 1928, Allied Van Lines, with more than 500 agent locations in North America, is an experienced leader in household goods moving and specialized transportation services. Allied is one of the established global brands of SIRVA, Inc., (NYSE: SIR), a leader in providing relocation services to corporations, consumers and governments around the world. For more information about Allied Van Lines, visit www.allied.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are not historical, but are made based on management’s current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects upon SIRVA, Inc. and its subsidiaries. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting us will be those anticipated by management. These forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, including without limitation those described under the caption “Business-Investment Considerations” and other risks described in our 2003 Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. We do not intend, and are under no obligation, to update any particular forward-looking statement included in this release.
Media Contacts
Judy Wohlt
Director
Corporate Communications
SIRVA, Inc.
630.468.4886 (work)
630.802.1299 (cell)
Kristin McCormick
JSH&A Public Relations
630.932.9346
