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Curb Appeal 101: Eight Basic Improvements for Your Home's Exterior
April 05, 2010
Curb appeal refers to the overall attractiveness of the exterior of your home, from landscaping to paint color to design elements. Curb appeal is especially important when selling your home, as this is the first impression potential buyers will have, and it may influence the way they see the interior as well. Fortunately, there are some very basic, low-cost steps that homeowners can take to improve curb appeal. Tackle these basics, and then move onto more complicated projects.
View your home with fresh eyes.
Try to see your home as if you were a potential buyer. Take a look from the street and ask yourself some questions: What are the best and worst features of the home? What kind of first impression does this home make? Also make a list of improvements that need to be made.
Make any necessary repairs.
First things first, make a list of exterior repairs that need to be made, and take care of them. Obvious needs like garage door repair or window repair should be prioritized.
Kill mold and mildew.
For a potential home buyer, or even a guest to your home, mold and mildew on the exterior doesn't bode well for what's inside. Get rid of mold and mildew lurking on the home's exterior, roof, driveway, or sidewalk.
Be sure to clean windows and gutters.
Driving up to a house with dirty windows gives the whole house a dingy, unkempt feel. Take time to wash windows and clean out gutters, and you'll feel better about the home you're presenting.
Pressure wash siding and decks.
This is a relatively simple step that can really revive the paint color and overall appearance of your exterior home.
Trim tree limbs growing too close to the roof.
This is a basic safety precaution for homeowners, and it helps give the home a tidy appearance.
Maintain landscaping.
Basic landscaping can go a long way towards a good-looking home exterior. This means mowing, weeding, and edging the driveway and sidewalk. Be sure to remove weeds that may be growing in cracks in the driveway or sidewalk, and rake leaves if necessary.
Remember the rear view.
If your backyard is at all visible from the street, include it when taking these steps. Potential buyers will want to see the backyard, too, and you want to present a consistently appealing picture.
After following these steps, take a look at your home's exterior and see the amazing difference that basic improvements like these can make. Now you're ready to tackle the hard stuff!
