Add Curb Appeal

Have you ever walked through your neighborhood and said to yourself, “Oh, I love that fence!” or, “That house could use more landscaping,” or even, “Why on Earth would they pick that color?!” Us, too. You might not have realized it before, but these features of a house have actually been coined as a phrase: curb appeal. Here are some ideas on how to add curb appeal to your home (within a budget).

What is “Curb Appeal?”

Curb appeal is the initial impression or the description of the feeling you get as you glance at a house, take in its appearance, and maybe even imagine what it might be like to live there and what you would do differently, if it were your own. With curb appeal, the options are endless and fun to imagine as you cruise past the neighbors and take it all in.

If you’re a homeowner on the market, understanding why it’s something that should be on your radar has never been more important.

What Are Some Ways to Add Curb Appeal to My Home? 30+ Ideas!

Adding curb appeal to your home can be as expensive or inexpensive as you want it to be.

Here are a few of the improvements you can make to your home, all depending on how far you wish to take your renovations:

1. Trim the hedges. No one likes an overgrown bush!
2. Have a seating area. Patio empty? Throw a pretty Adirondack chair out front!
3. Add new house numbers.
4. Re-paint your house number on your curb.
5. Trim your trees. Especially if you’re in a coastal area – those palms need tending!
6. Add flower boxes under your windows.
7. Paint your front door.
8. Stain your fence a new color.
9. Add lights to your walkway or driveway.
10. Create symmetry in your plant and furniture décor.
11. Add a container garden for more variety.
12. Add shutters.
13. Clean out or replace gutters.
14. Check and fix up rust spots.
15. Add a sculpture to your yard.
16. Add potted plants or cacti.
17. Add a bird bath.
18. Power wash your driveway and sidewalks.
19. De-weed your lawn and walkway.
20. Upgrade or replace railings that have deteriorated.
21. Add outdoor light fixtures, such as lamps.
22. Hide you’re a/c unit with a fence.
23. Add a seasonal wreath to your door.
24. Add a bench to your patio with cute cushions.
25. Put a catchy welcome mat at your door.
26. Hang artwork or a sign with a welcoming quote.
27. Put up your garbage bins – in garage or behind a fence is ideal!
28. Paint door trim.
29. Refresh window panes.
30. Hang a bird feeder from your tree or place one in your lawn!
31. Plant flowers along your walkway.
32. Install a new door knocker that adds flare.
33. Tile your doorstep.
34. Upgrade the mailbox – there are tons of fun options out there!
35. Have your roof professionally cleaned.

How to Improve On Your Home

First step: Take a walk around your house with fresh eyes. Try to look at your home as a neighbor or passing stranger might. What is outdated? What needs to be mended? Are there any major projects you’ve been putting off that would help your house reach its full potential for potential buyers?

Second: take into account what your budget is for these kinds of fixes. Some are as cheap as simple yard work, while others can cost hundreds. It’s up to you how much effort you’re willing to put in, but there are plenty of crafty approaches to managing your curb appeal without breaking the bank.

Third: make a plan of attack and get to work. Decide what you can and can’t live without doing and create a plan for obtaining materials, deciding days of dedicated labor time and watch as your masterpiece unfolds.

Our Favorite Home Improvements

With all of this being said, there are a few options from the list above that we highly recommend, all with one common denominator: paint.

Paint is the most aesthetically pleasing and effective way to dress up your home's appearance – inside and out – and achieve results that provide prospective buyers and neighbors alike with the wow-factor you want!

If nothing else, we strongly suggest recruiting professional help for all your painting needs.

What Color Should I Paint My House?

Deciding what color you want to paint your house, window, trim, or any other feature of your home is almost as important as deciding to paint itself. Choosing an unappealing or distracting color could be worse than not painting at all.

Below are a few recommended tones and palette trending that you can use to freshen up the exterior of your house:

• Earth tones drawn from nature – bronze, basil, sage green, tree moss,
• All-black (or navy) almost gothic exteriors – a trending modern look
• A fun colored door against an all white exterior livens up the outside of your home

Whatever tone you end up going with, we strongly recommend hiring a trained professional that has experience rather than attempting to re-paint without any prior experience.

Painting Is the Ultimate ROI When Renovating Your House

Painting your home will always add curb appeal and more value. It may be an initial investment with a pricey cost up front, but the return is worth the initial spend. On average, repainting nets a 152% return on investment.

Even if you don’t want to paint the exterior of your home, picking a weekend to repaint even one room of your house holds high ROI for your listing. Repainting interior walls increases home value by an average of 5% and nets an ROI of 107%.

Painting is always a good idea if you notice any of these signs before listing:

• Flaking and peeling
• Water damage
• Wood rot
• Color clashing with the neighbors

Curb appeal is the instant upgrade to your home’s first impression that could be the problem solver to a long and tedious journey in selling your home.