Add curb appeal to your home.
Whether you are planning to sell your home or you just want to make the neighbors jealous, adding curb appeal to your home will make you a proud homeowner.
When you have your home on the market, the first impression of the exterior of your home will either entice them to look inside your home to see what it has to offer or move on to the next home for sale down the street. Curb appeal is very important if you are looking to sell.
The following are inexpensive ways to improve your home’s curb appeal for potential buyers or envious neighbors:
- Clean off the dirt – Your home has taken a beating over the winter. The front porch likely has a layer of dirt and salt scum, and the windows could probably use a good washing. Rent or borrow a power washer and give the exterior of your home a good cleaning and clean up your curb appeal.
- Plant new flowers and do away with the dead ones – You might not have flowers coming up in your beds yet, but make sure they’re presentable. Trim dormant ornamental grasses and clean out any leaves and sticks that piled up in the winter.
- Trim branches – Trees, branches, and shrubs can obscure your home’s features and make it seem dark and uninviting. If you haven’t already done so, go out to the street and make sure that no shrubs or low-hanging tree branches block the view of your home. You want potential buyers to get a clear look at the house when they drive by. If there are any obstructions, trim them back now to show off your curb appeal.
- Plant in containers – Add life and color to your yard with container gardening. Buy some colorful pots and fill them with vibrant flowers. You can place pots on your front porch, going down your front steps or even in your flower beds.
- Clean out the gutters – If you have leaves and sticks hanging out of your gutters from winter storms, drag out the ladder and clean them out. Your home must look trim and tidy, and dirty gutters are an eyesore to potential buyers and can weaken your curb appeal.
- Get rid of any sad looking mulch – Mulch gets spread around and blown about during the winter. Adding a thick new layer of mulch can work wonders for your home’s curb appeal.
Edge the driveway – Installing a border along the driveway gives it a crisp, elegant look. Edging materials such as bricks, pavers, and stone, or a combination of them, bring a boring asphalt slab to life with color, texture, and decorative designs. The edging can be level with the driveway or elevated to prevent people from driving onto your lawn.- Install lights along the sidewalk – Lights that lead to your entryway welcome guests after dusk while also increasing their safety. Soft exterior lighting also makes your home appear more inviting and friendly, and it can emphasize landscaping and any other features you want to call out to anyone approaching your front door. You can find inexpensive solar lights at your local hardware store to add more curb appeal.
- Paint the front door – A fresh coat of paint can transform your front door and provide a more welcoming entryway into your house. Read our article on re-staining your front door.
