Enhance Your Curb Appeal With These 10 Easy Steps

 

Curb appeal is the attractiveness of the exterior of a residential or commercial property. It is a key indicator of the initial appeal of a property to prospective buyers.

According to the National Association of Realtors, 44% of home buyers in 2015 found their home using the internet. This being said, it is beneficial to have good curb appeal for photos that you take and post online. It is also important to upkeep it for when prospective buyers decide to do a drive by. Here are 10 steps you should consider when trying to gain better curb appeal. These steps will make sure that your house will look good in pictures and create more prospective buyers!

Step 1: Inspect It

Act like a buyer. Walk the house, drive by the house, and then have a friend to the same. When you drive by the house make sure that you do it during different times of the day. Different lighting will show different things that you might not notice during the other times. Make sure that everything is clean, not broken, and looks good. Have a friend do a walk around as well. Curb appeal can be tricky so a pair of fresh eyes could catch things that you don’t necessarily notice any more out of familiarity.

Step 2: Fix It Up

According to Angieslist.com, replacing your roof with a new one is expensive but can drive the price of your home up.  Buyers might or might not notice everything, so your best bet is to get it fixed or replaced if it damaged or looking old. Lichen and moss can signify neglect and turn off the buyer.

Also, if a buyer notices the roof is looking a little shabby, they may want to talk down the price for a new roof to be installed anyways. Depending on your situation, it’s most likely better to pay for things that need to be fixed now and gain more prospects then to give the buyer any reason to get you down on price.

Step 3: Clean It Up

When your house is up for sale, you want it to look its absolute best at all times. This means you need to wash it. Pressure washing everything will get rid of the grime, dirt, and cobwebs making the house looking fresh. You can rent a pressure washer from your local hardware store for a decent price per day. Pressure wash the walkways, driveways, porches, windows, siding, and even the gutters for a fresh and clean looking exterior.

Keeping your house looking its best also means keeping your yard looking top notch at all times. Manicure your lawn and plant some flowers and shrubbery to make it look inviting and to give it a pop of color. Fresh bark will guarantee your flower beds are looking good anytime of the year. If you’re selling in the off-season, make sure that the flower boxes and gardens are clear of dead plants.  If there are any cracks in the sidewalks or driveway its best to patch these up and resurface them. Watch how-to videos on how to fix cracks in your driveway and other diy tips!

Be aware of your surroundings as well, because the buyer will be. If your neighbor isn’t the best at keeping up their yard, ask them politely to mow it regularly while you are showing the house. You can even offer to help them out as an extra incentive.

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Now for the fun part. The next 7 steps all have to do with sprucing up the place! Little things that you do to the exterior of your house can make a big difference! Not only will they make your house look better and attract more prospects, but they can also add value to your home!

Here are things that fit in a whole range of budgets!

 

Step 4: House Paint

A new coat of paint can make a world of difference to the buyer. According to homeadvisor.com, repainting a house typically costs around $2500. Painting your home also has other benefits besides cosmetic. Painting and staining your home can help protect it from termites and other pests. A good paint job also helps protect your house from the harshness of winter such as salt and ice and can extend the life of your siding! Which is a huge plus for buyers to think when they consider warranties and upkeep costs of the house.

Step 5: Pay attention to the trim & Shutters

If you don’t want to fork out the money to paint the entire house, you could still make a world of difference by painting the trim or the shutters to add a pop of color that makes your house more inviting to viewers. If you don’t have shutters, think about installing some to add character! You can buy shutters anywhere online, there are a lot of people who hand make shutters on Etsy for a decent price as well if you are going for a more rustic feel. Check out how to make your own shutters!

Window boxes are also a great way to bring charm to your home’s curb appeal. You can get a range of color schemes and materials to match your homes look. Keep the flowers looking nice and it will add color and character to your home.

 

Step 6: The Front Door

Your entry way is the focal point of the house. Paint the front door for a more eye catching response to your home. You can also frame the front door to give it a more modern look. Most people are under the impression that your door should match your shutters or some element of the house. However, the trend has changed. The front door paint color is one of the best ways to show a little of your own personality and character through your home.

According to diynetwork.com some of the most popular colors right now are cool turquoise, burst of sunshine (yellow), stately red, elegant indigo, a slice of lime, & energetic orange. See the rest of the popular front door colors here! Having a fun color will boost your curb appeal and be more inviting for people who want to see your house.

 

Step 7: Add Value & Privacy

Depending on the neighborhood a fence could not only make your property look better but it can also increase the value of your home. If you’re not sure whether it would make a difference you can ask your realtor and they can find out for you. Usually if other houses in the area are fenced in it’s a good idea to get yours fenced in as well.Make sure if you do add a fence to add one of good quality and low maintenance. Make sure the fence fits not only the house but the neighborhood as well. The fence should be an addition to the house not stick out to everyone who drives down the road.

 

Step 8: Upgrading Numbers

New house numbers can range anywhere in price. They can be a few dollars a number to $200 a number depending on the material buy. Getting a new fresh style of number can add a touch of modern to your home that the buyer will notice.

You can get very creative with how you display your numbers besides just going and buying a new style of number. Some of the most creative displays are choosing a base to display your numbers on rather than just placing them on the house itself. Some people paint the numbers on flower pots or pumpkins that sit on the entry step for a seasonal appeal. People also hang a decorated board from the front door with the numbers attached attractively to the board for a different more modern look. Check out all of these other creative ways to display address numbers.

 

Step 9: Light the Way

You’ll want to make sure that your home has adequate outdoor lighting. This is a safety measure but the new fixtures can also give your home more character and essentially more curb appeal. You can also use tube lighting or rope lights to line the inside of your garden beds around the house for a nice glow. Use Solar lights along gardens and walk ways. These are low maintenance but give off a warmer light during the night. Be careful when lining your drive way with these for make sure that people aren’t going to accidentally back over them.

You can add accents lights for the front of the house or normal lantern lights above every entry door as well as above the garage doors. Make sure that whatever lights that you buy actually put out a good light. They will add to your homes appearance but you want them to do the job as well.  See here on more options and costs to light up your exterior.

 

Step 10: Garage Door

There are lots of things that you can do to your average looking garage door to boost curb appeal without replacing it completely. You can buy a carriage style garage door kit as a cheap way to give your garage door more character. You can have windows added to your existing garage door. Not only will this make the garage doors more appealing, it will also add some natural light in the garage.

You can also add a wood trim to the garage door or cover the entire door with wood. There is a snazzy company out of Oregon called Garage Skins. They make real wood panels to stick to your garage door magnetic. They are still in the funding phase but you can check out the process on their website.

Just make sure you get your garage doors adjusted after window or wood installation. The additional material will be adding weight to the door. If you don’t want to pay for wood on the door you can use a wood stain on your aluminum door to give it the rustic look. Adding Sconces or other small touches can make a big impact as well.

Extra Tips

• Remove all clutter. This includes personal possessions, toys, and religious décor.
• Don’t park in the driveway if you have a garage. A prospective buyer can come to the conclusion that the house doesn’t have enough storage. They will think you are having to use the garage for overflow.
• Keep your curtains and blinds open during the day. It is visually appealing for the blinds to be open rather than seeing the back of curtains from the street.
• Hide your A/C unit with a picket gate or fencing material.
• Add outdoor art such as fountains, garden decorations, as well as signs and decorations for your patio.
• Replace your mailbox for added detail.
• Dress up the foundation. Dress up visible foundation at the bottom of your home, you can install bricks or stone.

 

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