Curb appeal is the terminology used by estate agents to describe the drive-by appeal of your home.
Some estate agents suggest that improving your home’s curb appeal can actually increase the value of your home, and not just the value in your buyer’s eyes, either. Just having somewhere to park a car, for example, could increase your home’s asking price by around $5,000 in some areas.
Before making any big changes to your home’s outside, it’s best to consult with your estate agent to be sure that the money you’re going to be fronting for the home will be worth it.
It’s also worth considering that any changes may need planning consent and other forms of permissions, depending on your district and jurisdiction’s rules.
If your home already has a drive and somewhere to park cars, this is a great selling feature for a new homeowner, especially as more of us are becoming two and three-car families.
Laying down new asphalt is a big expense, but it can make a huge difference to your drive. Use an asphalt quantity calculator to determine how much you need to order, avoid over-ordering, and keep your upgrade on-budget.
Have you had a look at your front door from a buyer’s perspective? What does it look like? Have you got lots of stuff outside it, is the paintwork cracking and peeling?
You may be able to look past an old and past-it front door, but your buyers won’t want to; they will want to see a nice fresh coat of paint and a tidy doorstep.
If your door is old and creaking, add some oil to the joints or consider a full upgrade to make it look at its best, and don’t forget to clear out anything you’ve left on your doorstep, especially old leaves in the autumn time.
While you’re considering how your front door looks, it’s worth taking in how your windows look too.
These days, double or triple glazed windows are the thing to have, especially for the environmentally-conscious homeowner, but many of us don’t consider how the window frames look, especially from the outside.
Mold and mildew can make window frames look outdated and even in poor condition, and wooded window frames will benefit from a new coat of paint, or maybe even a good sanding back and retreat with linseed or Danish oil to protect them and keep them looking in the best condition possible.
If your home has a front garden, now is the time to make sure that the front garden looks at its best.
By investing in your front garden, you’re investing in the rest of your house, making your home look appealing from the roadside as well as welcoming when your guests and potential buyers walk up the drive.
Think about adding some easy-to-care-for plants (or evergreen shrubs in the wintertime) to your garden borders and keeping any grass freshly mown.
If your grass is looking a little yellow and past its best, perhaps replacing it with gravel or even artificial law might be the answer to give it a good look without the high maintenance of a front garden.
A fresh coat of paint on the door and on the window frames can improve the look of your home, but a fresh coat of paint on the exterior of your home can begin to change to your home’s appearance and set it apart from other homes on the street.
A big caveat to this one is to go with a neutral color rather than a garish color that will make your home stick out for all the wrong reasons!
Use high-quality exterior paint that’s suited to the material of your home’s exterior, whether that’s wooden siding, masonry, or any other material, and go for a similar color to the neighbors’ houses to ensure yours looks the best.
So, you’ve laid new asphalt on your drive, you’ve upgraded your doors and windows, and you’ve given your home a new lick of paint; what else can you do?
Consider the finishing touches depending on the season that your home is in when you’re looking to see. Around Christmas time, you may think about adding some tasteful Christmas decorations such as lights and a wreath, perhaps some pumpkins for Halloween; let your imagination go wild… but keep it tasteful!
This website uses cookies.