When it comes to your home curb appeal, the outside is just as important as the inside. The appearance of your home from the exterior will attract more buyers or renters, and it will communicate to those people what kind of life their families can expect if they buy your house.
Table of Contents
What is curb appeal?
Curb appeal is how a home looks from the street, and it’s what someone sees when they first pull up to your property.
Curb appeal also shortens the time you’re on the market. Most potential buyers don’t want to look at homes past their prime. The outside of your home must look and feel that it’s well taken care of, positively reflecting the potential buyer.
There are approaches you can take to add curb appeal to your home;
1. Cleaning or Landscaping
- Clean up your yard and garden to create a healthy, vibrant look.
- Plant flowers in pots or beds in colors that pop! You can add color to both the front and back yards and keep it in the same tone for consistency. For example, if you have red flowers on the side yard, keep them red for the front yard.
- If you have a mailbox, make sure it’s free of debris. Having the best curb appeal starts with keeping your house looking neat and clean.
2. Painting
- A fresh coat of paint does wonders. You don’t need to repaint everything, but touch up blemishes, stains, and holes.
- Even if you have to hire a professional, it’s worth the investment. You can add up to 10 percent of your home’s value by simply painting over things that aren’t of good quality or color.
3. Fixing small details before selling
- Replace old light fixtures, shutters with new ones. You shouldn’t have to replace everything or spend a fortune on exterior updates in some cases. You need to get the correct details that will add to significant improvement, and the small details are items you can move with when the time to move comes. All you need is to speak with the moving company about what you need to carry.
4. Fixing things before selling
- If there are any cracks in the outside wall, fix them immediately! Small holes and cracks can be easily patched up with filler and paint.
- Clean out your gutters of any leaves or other debris.
- Ensure you repair loose walkways and sidewalk cracks. You can even add a new wooden step or two for better curb appeal.
5. Lighting
- Your home’s exterior should have great lighting at all times of the day, so it looks inviting and well-lit. Even if it’s in the evening, you can add landscape lights around your garden and walkways for a beautiful glow.
6. Add a privacy
- If your neighbors are close, you can add hedges or shrubs to create privacy. Or, if you have a fence, make sure it’s in good condition (no holes). Even having windows clean and free of streaks will draw attention to the exterior.
7. Adding water features
- Add fountains or bubbling pools. The sound and sight of the water are very inviting and relaxing. If you can’t afford a pool, add a small fountain or birdbath in the garden area.
Remember, you don’t need to spend a fortune or go over the top with your home’s appearance. Sometimes all it takes is a few simple steps, and you can add that extra wow factor to your home.
