Enhance Your Curb Appeal
"Curb appeal" is that all-important first impression prospective home buyers get when they drive up or walk up to your home. You will want your home to have the right look whether you are planning an open house or not. Here are some steps you can take to achieve the perfect curb appeal without spending a great deal of money.
Before putting your home on the market:
- If you have fiber-cement or wood siding, think about repainting the exterior, and choose neutral colors that conform to the other houses in your neighborhood. If that doesn’t seem necessary, you may still want to do some touch-up work, especially on eye-level areas and the front of your home. (It’s likely that you have some left-over paint stored away in your garage.)
- If you have brick, vinyl or stone siding, restore the clean look your house once had with a good pressure wash.
- Invest in a new, colorful wreath and “welcome” mat for your front door. If your mailbox has seen better days, it is time to invest in a new one.
- Put an impressive potted plant by the front door and give that door a fresh coat of paint as well.
- Your street numerals should also be polished and in place, or you may want to invest in a new set that is more eye-catching than those of your neighbors.
- Put in some outdoor lighting along your sidewalk, driveway and near your landscaping to add to the overall effect.
- Paint or stain your porches and arbors, add a new brick or pavestone path, and repair any cracks you have in your driveway.
- Keep up with your lawn mowing and maintenance (including reseeding), make sure that your landscaping is up to par, and put away your gardening tools and lawn equipment. In season, you can mow or edge every week or two, and spread a layer of mulch over your flowerbeds to keep the weeds in check.
- Add some intrest and color to your front yard by putting in some new flowerbeds and shrubs, especially if it has a barren look.
- Remove all clutter (bicycles, scooters and toys) from the front of your home. To make your backyard appear spacious and neat, you may want to remove large items such as swing sets.
- Thoroughly wash your deck or screened-in porch, and make sure that your pool is in good shape, if you have one.
- Replace the existing shutters on your home or give them a fresh coat of paint in a new color.
- Make sure that your windows are clean (including the trim), and install a new front doorknob and lock. This will create an atmosphere of security that you want to cultivate when you show your home.