Redoing the kitchen and upgrading the flooring are great ways to boost the value of your home, but those features aren’t seen from the outside. If you want to garner interest in your property for selling or renting, curb appeal matters.
Curb appeal is about how your home looks from the outside, and it’s really your first chance to make an impression. While the inside of your house definitely matters for attracting buyers or renters, you can’t neglect the outside. Right now, the housing market is red hot, and home tours aren’t easy to come by, which means there’s a good chance interested buyers or renters may drive by to get a better feel for your property.
Fortunately, there are many small ways you can drastically bump up the curb appeal to people driving by.
Here are some easy ways to boost your curb appeal.
Paint
Houses with drab paint that’s chipping or peeling won’t leave a good impression. When it comes to curb appeal, paint can go a long way. When was the last time your siding was painted? If it’s about time for a fresh coat, go ahead and make the jump!
Choose a modern color that adheres to your Homeowner’s Association regulations. How much you’ll spend will depend on if you choose to do it yourself or hire a professional, but the paint itself is not very expensive. In addition to your house siding, you can consider painting:
- Your front door
- Your mailbox
- Your garage door
- Your shutters
Simple Landscaping
If you’re up for it, you can ramp up the landscaping, but you don’t need fancy landscaping to increase your curb appeal. Keeping up with the basics is enough to improve the appearance of your house. Cut the grass regularly, deal with weeds quickly, and trim any bushes or shrubs. Simple landscaping is easy to do on your own, but if you’re looking to add plants or manage a huge yard, consider hiring a landscaper.
Update Your House Numbers
Make it easy for potential buyers or renters to find your house and increase curb appeal at the same time by adding new house numbers. Choose modern numbers made from brass, steel, or aluminum that matches the finish on your home’s exterior light fixtures. This is a small, inexpensive change that can make a huge difference.
Wash
Even if your home doesn’t need new paint, it may need a good wash. Using a garden hose on a strong setting, use water to clear off your siding. Do the same for your sidewalks, driveway, and garage. If your hose is not powerful enough or you want to speed up the process, you can rent a power washer for under $75 a day.
Don’t neglect your windows! Clean your windows on the inside and out with glass cleaner to make them shine. If you have a second story, get a friend or family member to steady the ladder while you clean. Use a garden hose to wash off any dirt or cobwebs before shining them up with glass cleaner.
Repairs
When we own a house, it’s easy to overlook the little repairs. We may get used to a certain light not working or stepping over cracks. Before trying to sell or rent, you should tackle any minor repairs that could up your curb appeal.
Evaluate the exterior of your home from an outside perspective. If you need to, consult a friend or family member outside of your home to give an opinion on what you can improve. If you’re looking to improve the curb appeal of your property, repair things like:
- Cracked driveways or sidewalks. Use sealer if necessary.
- Broken lights.
- Broken mailbox.
- Broken doors or windows.
- Cracked or chipped siding or masonry.
- Roofing.
- Landscaping damage, like huge holes or patches of dead grass.
- Etc.
Tips for Increasing Curb Appeal
As you can see, there are many simple ways to increase curb appeal. Most of them can be done on your own for a very low cost, but if you’re tight on time or manage multiple properties it may make more sense to hire professionals. Here are some tips that will help you along the way:
- Prioritize. Start with the most important changes for your property. What will make the biggest difference? Then move your way down the list.
- Ask for outside opinions.
- Balance quality and affordability. Most of these changes aren’t too expensive, but you don’t want to skimp on quality.
- Take high-quality photos in natural lighting to showcase your curb appeal.
- Note any upgrades and new changes in your listing. (Freshly sealed driveway, newly painted exterior, etc).
Curb appeal is an important part of listing your home for sale or rent, and it’s even more vital in the competitive housing market we’re currently in. Take some of the ideas above to boost your curb appeal and attract new buyers or renters!