Updating home outside for selling

Does Your Home have a Fiery Appeal? Outdoor living is becoming more popular as indoor living space is shrinking and becoming an extremely high-cost premium. But what gives your home a fiery spark to send buyers rushing to write an offer? Perhaps, bringing the comforts of indoor living outside may help. Outdoor fireplaces create a visual focal point and are often a quality of the home that attracts buyers. "This is a great way for people to warm up and gather around. They're very well engineered," says Peter Ross, CEO of Home & Hearth, Inc. Here are a few quick tips if you're planning to purchase an outdoor fireplace. Consider your space: make sure you don't go too large or too small for the area. Wood-burning option: not all outdoor fireplaces are set up to burn wood; some only burn gas. Be sure to check that the one you buy accommodates wood-burning. Location: make sure you put the outdoor fireplace in a safe spot. "You don't want to set the outdoor fireplace on a wooden deck. You don't have adequate protection around it from embers," says Ross. He also says don't put it underneath over-hanging trees or right up against your house. On a concrete patio or paving stones is a good location provided that there is lots of clear space in case sparks fly out.