Curb appeal is what people see when they pull up to your house and get that all-important first impression.
Having curb appeal is nice for a number of reasons, including that you enjoy what you see when you come home, neighbors appreciate what you add to the area and, when you’re selling your house, potential buyers are more likely to step inside, instead of being turned off by a shoddy look.
“First impressions are everything — at least when it comes to selling your home,” HGTV says. “According to the National Association of Realtors, 63 percent of homebuyers will drop by after viewing a home they like online.”
So make your home a prettier place to live — and an easier place to sell — with these three tips to up your curb appeal:
Fix your roof
An unsightly roof affects your whole home, so inspect closely. Are there missing or damaged shingles? Is the rain gutter sagging? Does your chimney need attention? These problems are not only ugly, they can be dangerous for your family and, if not fixed, turn into expensive problems.
“Maintaining a sound roof literally tops the list of crucial home repairs: It keeps you and your family warm and dry, along with everything in your house,” This Old House says. “Any damage or signs of wear call for immediate action to keep water from seeping under the shingles and rotting the wood sheathing beneath. Ignoring a problem — even what appears to be a small one — will accelerate the need to reroof and can add hundreds of dollars to the cost of a new roof.”
Hire a professional to do the work for you or, if you have safety equipment and confidence, do it yourself.
Landscape your front yard
A gorgeous green lawn is a classic, but it’s not your only choice. Regardless of whether you have a green thumb, you have plenty of options to significantly improve this area that sticks with people when they picture your home.
“The front yard is the place most people fix first — and for good reason,” Better Homes & Gardens says. “Often, it's what others see, and that the family sees most often.”
If you want something besides a lawn, cover the area in landscape fabric to prevent weeds, and then add whatever decoration you fancy. That could be rocks, mulch, bricks, stones or a combination of materials to create a unique area.
Green it up by planting a tree, creating a flower garden and bordering edges or the porch with bushes.
Beautify your exterior
Instead of just looking through your windows, look at them, and decide if they need to be replaced, or if you can repair any issues.
“Before you start shopping for new windows, you need to know what can be fixed or done to make the windows you have now more energy-efficient,” Consumer Reports says. “Of course, replacing your old windows with new ones will lower your energy bills but it will take years to recoup the thousands you'll spend on new windows and installation.”
As such, CR recommends looking at whether you or a pro can repair any rotting wood or jammed sashes (the part that holds glass and framework in place). You can also repaint window frames for a fresh appearance. If, however, you need to replace windows, it’ll be a selling point for potential buyers.
As for the rest of the exterior, there are many opportunities for elevating the design:
- Clean and decorate the front porch
- Paint the walls, no matter the material, from brick to siding
- Revitalize window shades
- Add lighting
- Paint or replace the front door and garage door
- Install new address numbers
Ask an expert
No matter how you up your home’s curb appeal, it helps to get a second opinion from friends, neighbors and professionals, who will see things you don’t. When preparing to sell, real estate agents, such as the experts on the Trumm Team at Keller Williams Realty, can tell you what your home is worth and give you advice on how to increase that amount.
