When we search around for ideas on selling our home, we eventually come across the notion of curb appeal. It’s one of the first deciding factors that determine whether or not a home buyer will make an offer — and it’s one that most home sellers forget. Curb appeal refers to the exterior appeal your home has as a buyer drives up to the property’s “curve.” If you have nicely trimmed lawn decorated with flower pots, it will obviously leave a greater impression than a yard with patches of dirt and weeds. The obvious benefit to you is that the home buyer will want to make a good offer — since you’ve made a good first impression (as long as the rest of the house is in good shape).
However, creating spectacular curb appeal can be frustrating for those who aren’t the “do-it-yourself” handyman or are on a tight budget. So here’s five easy and cheap ways to improve your home’s curb appeal:
1. Cut & Nourish the Grass
Make sure that the grass is green, freshly mowed, and free of weeds. Don’t skimp on the fertilizer. If there is a company in town that will guarantee you a deep green lawn in 10 days, then hire them. While cutting the grass is obviously necessary, so is edging the lawn around the cement and the hardscape.
2. Ask Advice from Garden Professionals
Take a picture of your home to the local nursery and ask for advice on what plants would look good with your home and with the shrubs that you have. Pay attention to the recommended colors to make sure they accent your home. Get some advice on what plants should be planted in areas that are clearly visible from the street. Plants should be grouped rather than planted in rows that have no design to them. Look for plants that bloom throughout the season, and search for beautiful winter plants that have some color and shape. The idea is to have eye-catching beds all year long, but colorful beds in the spring, summer and fall seasons.
3. Add Decor
Don’t use the cheap looking metal border edging. This just looks cheap and it will not always keep the weeds out. Buy some stone border bricks and lay them either partly in ground or out of the ground. Try to match or accent the color of the house.
4. Find a Complimentary Color
Ask a paint expert, or a designer, what color can be added to the exterior of the home to make it attractive. Accent colors do wonders for a home. When combined with the best flower colors the sight should be spectacular. Many paint stores have color specialists who can give you excellent advice.
5. Give the House a Bath
Wash the entrance door or paint it, and clean or paint the door moldings regardless of how wide they are. Wash the windows so that they sparkle in the sun. If your home has siding, buy a brush on a wan and wash it down. If you have brick siding and there is paint runoff on it, then get some cleaner at your big box store and wash it off.
The Curb Appeal Conclusion
If you are serious about selling your home it will pay to hire an outdoor designer who can bring it all together for you, and the yard will look professionally prepared. The home’s exterior will be greatly enhanced. Of course, many paint stores and nurseries will help you without charge, but it would be better to have a professional that will feel accountable so that they may obtain other work in the neighborhood.
If you have any more questions about curb appeal or selling your home, feel free to contact us via the form below:
