The front of your home is the first thing a potential buyer will see, and if they don’t like it, they may not want to see inside. Consider your home’s curb appeal like a job interview. You wouldn’t show up in jeans and a torn t-shirt, so why would you dress the front of your house so unattractively? Luckily there are ways you can update your curb appeal without draining the bank in the process.
1. Add Pizzazz to the Front Door
Add a little wow factor to the entrance of your home by painting your front door. Get away from the natural wood colors or even white – they don’t make a statement. Instead pick a color that works with your home’s exterior color and your personality. For example, a gray or white house that has black shutters could make a real statement with a red or burnt orange door. If painting the door isn’t an option, update the house numbers. Get new, modern numbers or make some of your own for a weekend project. Adding a wreath or attractive sign to the front of your door can help too. Project cost: About $30 for a gallon of exterior paint. New house numbers about $6.00 per number.
2. Give Your Lawn a Quick Fix-Up
You don’t have to spend hundreds of dollar on your lawn to make it attractive. Sometimes all it takes is cutting the grass, pulling some weeds, and your home is well on its way to looking ten times better. If your lawn hasn’t had time to green up for the season, hire a professional lawn painting service to come in and spruce up the color. Project cost: $0 for DIY weeding and mowing.
3. Pay Attention to the Flower Beds
When you have well-groomed flower beds, you tell potential buyers that you care for your lawn. Weed the beds and remove any debris that has cluttered up. Use mulch or bark dust to cover the entire span of your flower beds. It helps keep weeds minimal, but also gives a nice, even tone to your spread. Stick to annual flowers like black-eyed Susans, petunias or pansies. Pick a color that complements the exterior of your house and has a nice pop to it. Flowers don’t have to be expensive either. Project cost: If you stick to the cheaper annuals or perennials you could get a flat for less than $30.
4. Get Rid of Exterior Dirt
Wind, rain and snow can make dirt settle on the exterior of your home. Use a pressure washer to get off the dirt and grime. While you’re at it, use the pressure washer to remove dirt from the sidewalks, walkways and even your porch. You would be surprised at how much dirt can gather on your home without you ever noticing. If you have siding, be careful about pressure washing. Don’t angle the spray under the siding – this could lodge water underneath and lead to mold down the road. Project cost: about $60 to rent a power washer for the day, or about $350 new. If renting isn’t an option, consider splitting the cost of a new machine with family or friends.
5. Look at the Front of Your Home for Other Ideas
Every home is different. Stand outside and look at the front of your home to see where you can make improvements. Move the trashcans out of sight or reseal any cracks you see in the driveway. When there is a showing, make sure there are no cars parked in the driveway – it gives your home a neater look. Project cost: $0 to move things out of sight.
Top image credit: Brooks Kolb LLC
