You have spent time meticulously decorating and furnishing the interior your home to match your taste and lifestyle. But are you making sure your curb appeal is up to par? The exterior features of your home are just as important as the interior ones, as curb appeal provides a wealth of benefits for you and your home.
Who hasn’t driven by a well-maintained home and thought, “That is a beautiful house!” Even if you don’t plan on selling your home anytime soon (if at all), improving your curb appeal will make your house look like a home.
If you are putting your home up for sale, chances are good that prospective buyers are looking at your home by driving by or looking at photos on a real estate app so first impressions are critical. A well-maintained home reflects positively upon you as a homeowner and your care of the home.
Thanks to all that beautification you do on the exterior of your home, the value of your home can rise. So if you are planning on selling your home in the future, boosting your home’s curb appeal is an important part of attracting buyers and getting a good return on investment.
Realtors will always recommend you improve your home’s curb appeal for these reasons.
So how can you up your home’s curb appeal? It’s quite simple with some basic maintenance:
A power wash is a quick, cost-effective way to clean the exterior of your home and features such as decks of mold and mildew. According to Realtors®, a washed house can add up to $10,000 to your home’s price! You can rent a power washer at hardware stores like Home Depot.
A well maintained yard does wonders for your home’s curb appeal. Make sure your lawn is weeded and mowed, and put away lawn equipment such as mowers and rakes. You don’t have to have full garden, but a few potted plants can work wonders. It’s also beneficial to have healthy, well-maintained trees that will also boost your home’s curb appeal and value.
Also, don’t forget to clean up and maintain the back yard since that is often the centerpiece of many family gatherings and events—especially in the summer.
You may not look up at your roof, but others are. Keeping your roof in tip-top shape not only makes your home look good, but it also keeps it healthy. A healthy roof will cut down on maintenance and repair costs so you can avoid replacing the roof altogether, which is a very expensive endeavor. Cleaning your shingles, replacing sealant, and trimming branches are all part of maintaining a safe roof.
Applying a fresh layer of exterior paint to your home, or simply painting features like your eaves will freshen up your home. There are a wide variety of exterior home color schemes to choose from, but don’t be afraid to try something new. For example, many homeowners have found success with non-traditional paint schemes from purple doors to pink exteriors.
If you choose to go the non-traditional route, just remember that if you do sell your home some buyers may not like the colors or the idea of painting over them.
Crack sidewalks are not only ugly, but unsafe. Keeping your paths and patios maintained will beautify your home and make it safer for your family and visitors. Flagstones are a very popular option when it comes to pretty pathways.
Who doesn’t like a well-lit exterior? Putting the right kind of lighting at your doors and on your paths will allow you and visitors to see their way to and from your home safely as well as add dramatic flair. For example, have lamps with frosted lenses at your front door so you can light up your entrance without it becoming blinding, and low-voltage lights along the path in the form of mushroom lights or something similar to prevent trips and falls.
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