Whether you’re selling your house or hoping to attract a tenant, curb appeal is an essential sales tactic to consider. Curb appeal is another word for that first impression.
The exterior of your home is the first thing potential buyers will see, whether it’s online or in person. And because it’s the first impression, it can affect their long-term attitude for either good or bad.
If the danger of leaving a bad impression isn’t enough to convince you to make some updates to the exterior of your property, perhaps the promise of expanded property values will. When you build the curb appeal of your property, you may see an increase in the asking price of between $10k and $20k, depending on the type of renovations you put into it.
To attract renters and buyers alike, these are some of the best ideas we have found for improving the curb appeal of any property.
This one’s on the costly side, but it will make an impressive statement. Give your house a covered front porch with pillars to create a grand entrance. This is recommended for homes that have a flat facade or an otherwise nondescript exterior.
2. Trim Foliage
Overgrown hedges and bushes will detract from the beauty of a property. Grab your hedge clippers and trim some of the leaves and overgrown branches. Don’t be afraid to remove trees or bushes that block the view.
3. Plant New Greenery
Update the landscaping with well-placed flowers and plants in well-designed beds. Adding a little color and coordinated nature to your yard can go a long way in making a good impression on potential new occupants.
Before you start making expensive upgrades to the siding, power-wash the exterior. Once the dirt and grime is gone, you might discover there’s less work to do than you believed.
This is another expensive job, but if the paint on your home is cracked or fading, you can’t afford to not update. Choose a color that’s in style and matches the general design of the house.
This might go without saying, but cleaning up your yard before taking pictures and putting up a “for sale” sign is vital. Remove any clutter, power-wash the sidewalks, mow the lawn, and take care of any other visible problems in your front yard.
Don’t forget to stand across the street and evaluate the roof. Missing, curled, and faded shingles suggest that roof repairs or even replacement are in order. You might not think this would be a big deal, but you’ll be amazed at the difference after you make the necessary repairs.
Cold temperatures can create cracks and holes in your sidewalks and asphalt. Have these areas repaired or replaced so visitors will see a beautiful yard and house around them rather than watching their feet for fear of tripping on a crack.
If the siding is old, cracked, or pulling away from your home structure, a repair is imminent. This will significantly raise your property values, since fixing problems with siding can reduce major issues with the home.
Two-toned structures are all the rage nowadays. If your house looks a little dull out front, add some visual interest in the form of outdoor shutters, a different-colored trim, or window boxes.
The yard, walkways, and house always look better from the outside when they’re properly lit. Solar light fixtures are great for landscaping your yard because they’re affordable, easy to install, and won’t raise your energy bills.
Grass is great, but it’s a lot of work to maintain. Hardscaping, which includes the sidewalks, asphalt, wood chips, and similar non-plant features, reduces the amount of maintenance required of the tenants. It can also add some visual interest that makes your landscaping more aesthetic.
White picket fences have never gone out of style; they make a home look more elite and expensive. You don’t have to install white picket, but a fence of some kind can be very appealing to home buyers.
The garage and front doors often get overlooked when you’re sprucing up the rest of the house. Add a coordinating splash of color to these locations to make a statement and increase the aesthetic value.
Think outside the concrete box with this one. Try making paths that use paver stones in a gravel bed to switch up the monotony of a large grass lawn.
Doorknobs, lamps, and doorknockers fade over time and look tarnished. Polish these fixtures to see if you can bring back some of the shine. If the polish doesn’t work, look into replacing them.
This is an affordable and stylish way to add color and interest to the front of the house. It looks particularly good on farm-style houses and country cottages.
This is an often overlooked way to improve the aesthetic appeal of a property. Most homes have mailboxes in front of them; you can make yours stand out stylishly with a fresh coat of paint and some flowers around the base.
Though the traditional garden gnome is out of style, there are other forms of yard art that can make any home more appealing. Statues, water features, and planters can freshen the exterior and give the curb appeal an extra lift.
There’s something about shutters and accent trim that can make the front of a house look more welcoming. Shutters are also a good idea for controlling light and ventilation in the home as well as adding security.
Maintaining your property and keeping it looking great for potential renters or buyers is no easy task. That’s where the expert property managers at Green Residential come in handy.
We can help you maintain your property and get it fit for selling or renting. For more information about what we can do for you, contact us today!
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