When you start thinking about selling your home, you begin looking at it differently and with a more critical eye. This is especially true when you are talking about your curb appeal. What once seemed fine no longer does—especially when it comes to the overall look of your home. Bare patches on your lawn, tired plants or broken fence boards are hard to ignore. A few inexpensive ideas that can make a big difference.
1. Paint Your Front Door
In most homes the front door can be very attractive. The most obvious and impactful update you can do is spruce up your front door. Many people are choosing to paint their front doors a stronger, brighter colour than the rest of their home. This can work really well to make your home stand out from the street and to draw buyers into the property. Painting is a relatively easy solution and is something you should be able to do for only a little money. Adding a simple wreath to the door is a nice touch as well.
2. Add Shutters
Shutters are not as popular as they once were, but they can really make your house pop. If your home does not have any faux shutters or if the ones on your home have seen better days, rustic board and batten shutters can be a nice addition.
3. Update Your Brick
Over time brick can discolour and look tired, especially if you have an older home. There are a couple of options to give the brick new life. You can either paint it — which is a popular trend — or you can stain it, this enhances the natural texture of the brick rather than hide it.
4. Purchase a Welcome Mat
A new welcome mat can add a nice touch to your entrance. They are perfect for wiping your feet, and over time they can look worn. A fresh mat will give a nice first impression when a potential buyer enters your home.
5. Add Plants to the Entry
Adding a splash of colour with flowers is an excellent way to make your home look welcoming. — and they’re one of the simplest things you can do. Adding flowers to a pot and setting them by the front door can really warm up a home. Planting them on either side of the door or porch is also a good way to brighten up the entry.
6. Wash the Exterior
A pressure wash is a good way to get any dirt and grime that’s been living on the siding and exterior of your home and maybe even discolouring. Clean the windows on your home, especially if they are covered in a layer of dust or dirt. This will cost you very little, just your time and energy. You want the glass shining back at prospective buyers to give an impression of cleanliness.
7. Update Lighting Fixtures
Front porch lights can add a little something. Porch lights are one part of your home that may not have aged well. It is also something you can change inexpensively that may make your front porch look substantially better and brighter in the evening. Choose something that works for you and suits the style of your home. A light not only looks good, but makes people feel safer at night.
8. Trim Your Shrubs
Trimming shrubs is pretty easy to manage. You just need to a good pair of shears or an electric or gas trimmer and give a general shape to your shrubs. Pay close attention to shrubs under or around your windows. Make sure to unblock your windows so the home looks lived in and neat. Home inspectors recommend getting shrubbery away from the home, to avoid issues with insects and water, so be proactive.
9. Install New House Numbers
If your house numbers are old and faded, or just dated, consider installing some new ones. Your local hardware store should have a lot of options that are affordable and stylish. With new numbers your house will be easy to locate for buyers and from a safety perspective, when fire and police need to locate property quickly.
10. Clean the Gutters
Gutters clogged and overflowing with leaves and debris looks bad and is a sign that the home is not well maintained. This is an easy fix that will only cost you time and effort. All you need to clean the gutters is a ladder and some gloves. If you want to take it a step further you can use a water hose or bucket of water to flush out the remainder of the debris. Some gutters are easier to access than others, consider hiring a professional for those hard to reach parts of your home.