Upgrades That Will Improve Your Home's Curb Appeal Dramatically
Here are seven tips from the experts on how to boost your home's curb appeal.
27/01/2020
First impressions last, it is nearly impossible to change a person's mind if they have instantly gotten a poor first impression. Luckily for people looking to sell their homes, there are several things that they can do to boost their home’s curb appeal. Most, if not all, do not involve spending a vast amount of cash; simple maintenance measures will not only make your home look better, they will help prevent further issues occurring down the line.
Here are seven tips from the experts on how to boost your home's curb appeal.
#1 Give your front door a makeover
The front door is the primary entrance to your home, and it makes a statement about the whole place. A poorly maintained front door will not make prospective buyers feel welcome. Experts will tell you that buyers have their minds made up within 10 seconds of viewing. That is barely enough time to get in the front door, never mind see the rest of the house. If you can afford it replacing the front door could be money well spent, if not a fresh coat of paint, removing any rust and polishing what you can, go a long way.
#2 Focus on the exterior
Buyers want a home they can be proud of, regardless of whether the wall of your house is stone, cladding or brick, touching them up will increase your chance of selling the home. Consider a complete, repainting, re-rendering or re-cladding, it could cost several thousand dollars, but it will help you move the property up in the market. Research has shown that homes with outdated exteriors are more challenging to sell.
#3 Replace or revamp your windows
A simple, professional touch up could help improve first impressions. If you are going to invest in your home to increase its price tag, experts recommend upgrading your windows, as these are some of the first things a prospective buyer will notice when viewing your home. If an upgrade isn’t an option, then repainting any woodwork or window frames could cost a little and will add value to the property.
#4 Make the pathway and drive tidy
Keeping drives and paths in pristine condition is a guaranteed way to improve your home's curb appeal. Power washing or raking them regularly will give your home's entrance the rejuvenated look it needs. This is also one of the cheapest and fastest ways to improve how the prospective buyer perceives your home.
#5 Give your lawn a much-needed manicure
If your garden looks well cared for, then buyers will be confident that the rest of the house has been treated similarly. On the flip side, if your lawn is poorly maintained, a prospective buyer will likely be highly suspicious of how well you have kept the rest of the house. Giving your front yard a makeover is neither difficult nor expensive.
If you genuinely want to add value to your home, getting a professional landscape architect in to revamp your front lawn will not do your chances of increasing the value of your home any harm. Research has shown that a house's front yard massively influences people, a well-maintained fixture can even add up to 20% to the house overall value. Also adding some flowerpot and hanging baskets will improve the first impression buyers will have of the exterior of the home.
#6 Hide the trash
There are few things less appealing to prospective buyers than the sight of a dirty or potentially rodent-infested garbage storage area. Putting some fencing around your wheelie bins or garbage can will not only increase your homes curb appeal, but it might also protect them from unwanted attention. Investing some money in hiding these necessary but unsightly curb accessories will definitely add value to your home.
#7 Replace or mend broken gates, fences and gutters
If you have a gate hanging off its hinges, fences that are damaged or gutters hanging by a string your curb appeal is going to suffer and the value of your house with it. Take some time to do some maintenance work around your home, and it will quickly pay dividends. Prospective buyers will not be attracted to homes whose exterior fitting look like they haven’t been touched in years. They would rightly or wrongly assume that the outside reflects what the inside will look like.
While there are many other things you can do to increase the curb appeal of your home, as we have pointed out, first impressions are vitally important. Prospective clients can quickly be turned off your house because it needs a few simple repairs or some affordable upgrades. This is inevitably going to cost you more time and money in the long run. The smart move is to invest a little of each now, then just sit back and reap the rewards later.