First impressions matter. especially when it comes to
selling your home, and that usually means having great curb appeal. “Curb
appeal” is the impact your home’s exterior makes on visitors. Buyers form vital
impressions of homes while standing in the street or sitting inside the car,
just beyond the curb. And those first few minutes can make or break a potential
sale.
1.
Clean
up. Sometimes the most obvious way
to enhance curb appeal is simply by deep cleaning the exterior of your home. Turn the nozzle on your garden hose to the
strongest setting and clean off your driveway, sidewalk, windows, and fence. If dirt and grime is really caked on your
home’s exterior, you can rent a power washer. For maximum sparkle, clean your
windows outside and inside.
2.
Give
your door a facelift. A new coat of
paint can do wonders. Consider adding molding, which offers a decorative frame
for your door, welcoming visitors while serving as a grand entrance. You can also glam up your door by adding
metal house numbers, or a wreath or seasonal decorations.
3.
Have
fun with your house numbers. If you’d rather not add house numbers to your
freshly painted door, here are some alternative ideas:
·
Add house numbers to a post planter near the
front porch.
·
Make use of the front porch stair risers by
hanging or painting numbers there.
4.
Add
some fun to your light fixtures. Replacing
exterior light fixtures is another curb appeal must. Just make sure your new light fixtures have
the same mounting system. And if you want to save on lighting, just try spray-painting them — a can of spray paint costs
around $10.
5.
Refresh
your mailbox. Replacing your mailbox is easy enough, but why stop there? Try
planting a welcoming mailbox garden. Dwarf, compact shrubs are good choices
because they stay smaller and require less pruning. Plants such as liriope,
daylilies and agapanthus are useful because they don’t get too tall, and
quickly fill in, eventually eliminating the need for mulch.
6.
Bring
beauty to your doorstep. Placing a container garden at your doorstep is a quick and
affordable way to liven things up. Not a fan of flowers? Try foliage plants.
Just plant something low-maintenance so that they thrive even if you forget to
water them. (Dead plants definitely hurt curb appeal!) Choose pots and plants
that complement the colors and style of the house.
7.
Install flower boxes.
Flower boxes are a quick way to add some life and color to your house windows.
If you don’t want to worry about installing flower boxes, the aforementioned container garden is just fine.
8.
Prune the
landscape. It’s common knowledge that you should give your landscape
plantings a trim before selling a home, but this is also the time to audit your
‘trash trees’ and overgrown foundation plantings. Have the big stuff removed by
a professional. Paved paths or patios can bring value to the
property because they make life easier without costing much time or effort.
9.
Be
deliberate about patio furniture. Limit personal decor and furniture. Just
as you would aim to simplify the interior of your home when your house is on
the market, the exterior of your home should allow prospective buyers to
envision their own style in the space.
1. Get creative with storing/hiding items.
Place a small lattice fence or side of paneling around the A/C condenser, and
hide your trash bins behind a small fence or in a garbage can shed. You can
also hide your hose in a pot or storage bench.
