No matter how great the inside of your home looks, the outside is what makes the first impression. Before they’ve even walked through your door, potential buyers have made their judgments about your home. You want to make them feel welcome, safe, and eager to see the rest of the house!
Sprucing up your curb appeal should be a priority if you plan on listing your home. But not to worry, you don’t need a large budget to do so. Even inexpensive changes could help you sell faster and even add more value to the asking price!
First impressions DO matter in real estate, so make a potential buyer’s first impression, a good one.
7 Ways to Boost Your Curb Appeal:
- Manicure your lawn. Keep your lawn freshly mowed and hedges trimmed, especially before showings. A neatly manicured lawn implies a well taken care of property. It doesn’t matter how neat the inside of your home is if the first impression from the exterior is long grass and overgrown hedges.
If you don’t have time to do it yourself, take it off your plate by hiring a local professional. They can make sure your lawn stays ready for showings!
- Add a pop of color with plants and flowers. Flowers are a quick and inexpensive way to make your home look fresh, bright, and inviting. Plant them along your walkway, add colorful potted plants to your entryway area, or hang window boxes.
Colorful flowers can instantly freshen up your home’s exterior and create a welcoming feel for potential buyers.
- Pressure wash everything. You want the whole exterior to look as clean and taken care of as possible. Use a pressure washer to remove the build-up of dirt on your porch, driveway, walkways, and siding. Like shining an old penny, a good pressure wash can do wonders to rejuvenate the look of your home. Remember, a clean and taken care of exterior implies and clean and taken care of home.
- Paint your front door. The front door is one of the first things a potential buyer will look at when they arrive for their showing. A fresh coat of paint on the front door can give a whole new look and feel to the outside of your home. Pick a color that stands out, but also goes well with the other colors of your home. Classic colors like black or charcoal are great options. Or if you want to go with a more bold option, pick a bright red or yellow.
- Give the garage doors a facelift. Your front door isn’t the only door that will be noticed. Garage doors dominate a lot of what you see from the street but are often a bland and neglected detail.
Just like your front door, garage doors can also be painted to give the exterior a new & fresh feel. Pick a color that matches the siding to help them blend in or match the color of your front door color to create a nice contrast.
Another quick fix that requires minimal effort is temporary decorative hardware. Magnetic handles, hasps, and faux window panels can add depth and subtle detail that takes the look of your garage doors to a new level.
- Update and add outdoor lighting. Adding new exterior lighting can instantly improve the look of your home. Exterior fixtures get more abuse from the elements and many times can use a little rejuvenation or a replacement altogether.
But don’t just rely on a single light at the front door or a floodlight on the garage. There’s a lot you can do with outdoor lighting that can make your house stand out and improve your curb appeal.
Putting lights along your walkway will add a level of comfort and safety to your home. You can also hang string lights on your porch or patio. Try “moonlighting,” which refers to placing lighting fixtures in trees so they shine down on your walkway or lawn to create a soft and comforting glow. Or do the opposite with “uplighting,” by angling a spotlight towards the canopy of a tree to add depth to your lighting scheme.
- Makeover your mailbox. Your mailbox is a small detail that’s one of the first things a buyer will notice as they pull up to your address. Swap out a dated mailbox with something more stylish or freshen up your current one.
If your current mailbox is in good shape, put a fresh coat of paint on it and replace your house numbers with new ones. If it’s standing on a wood post, add a fresh coat of stain to the wood. You can also plant colorful flowers around the base of your mailbox to add color and a welcoming feel.
Pick the updates that make the most sense for you! Need a second opinion on the best ways to boost the curb appeal on your property? Ask your CB Plourde Real Estate Agent and they can help!
References: https://www.mashvisor.com/blog/diy-curb-appeal-ideas/
https://www.hgtv.com/outdoors/landscaping-and-hardscaping/design/13-curb-appeal-tricks-to-sell-your-home-pictures
https://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/home-improvement/curb-appeal-ideas
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