Sure, the notion of “Curb Appeal” means what people see on the street, but what do they see when they’re scrolling on an app?
Most home sales still occur face-to-face, but the initial shopping and browsing are done online. That is why it’s essential your real estate agent not only takes great pictures for your listing but before ever taking pictures, you must:
Add some curb appeal!
Below are some simple ways to add curb appeal for selling your home faster!
What is curb appeal, and why it matters:
Curb appeal is how nice your house looks from the outside. When a buyer sees a nice home online and then visits, curb appeal is what they first see. And first impressions always matter.
The return on investment is always worth it. Landscaping, decks/patios, windows, and entryways have some of the highest ROI according to Fortune Builders. Essentially, when you add curb appeal you increase the chances of selling your home.
Here a few quick tips for selling your home:
- Work from the outside in when it comes to selling your home. You will want to ensure the outside is just as lovely as the inside and vice versa. Typically, exterior renovations only require a little bit of money and are more budget-friendly than remodeling a bathroom.
- Don’t try to take on more than you can handle. Instead of doing five projects at once, start with the landscaping and lawn, then move to paint and fixtures for example.
- Create a budget and stick to it! Consider talking to your real estate agent about the best things to do and not to do – every home is different!
The upside to adding curb appeal for selling a home is the appearance of a tidy exterior tells the story of a homeowner who cared about their home. Not to mention, it is essentially unanimous by all real estate agents that you add curb appeal for selling a home!
Here are the easiest ways!
7 Simple Ways to Add Curb Appeal:
Easiest curb appeal for selling the home before we get started, replace the house numbers on your home! Modern and darker house numbers will help prospective buyers find your home when they visit!
Now for the rest!
1. Cut your grass & water
You read that correctly; cutting your grass says much about you as a homeowner. Keeping your grass trimmed and neat will add a ton of pop to the visitors to your home. Watering will help your grass stay green in the summer months.
Depending on where you live will determine how short you cut your grass and how much you water your lawn. For example, someone in Charlotte, NC will have peak growing seasons in the spring and fall vs. someone in Florida who sees their growing season in the summer.
Also, overseed or replace any dead grass/bare spots!
2. Landscape
Potential buyers don’t want to purchase a home that needs a ton of landscaping. While you don’t need to go all out on your landscaping, you can add great curb appeal with some fresh mulch and trimmed shrubs.
Consider the following:
- Edge around mulch beds and clean out weeds
- Trim bushes to give a clean, orderly look
- Remove any dead plants, branches or trees
- Add a fresh layer of dark mulch (brown or black)
- Plant some seasonal color
- Add potted plants on both sides of your front door
3. Declutter your yard
If you have items like kid’s toys, junk, bikes, storage items, and so on lying in your yard – be sure to pick all this up. Prospective buyers want to see neat so they can feel confident a home is cared for.
Whether it is psychology or not, your home’s exterior will communicate to a buyer how the house is cared for. Simply go around and make sure you declutter. If you have tons of items on your deck or patio, be sure to clear them off.
Note: We once visited a nice home with our buyer, who was immediately turned off by the unkept look outside the home. There were items strewed across the yard and long grass, almost as if they didn’t care about their home!
4. Power/pressure wash
You can rent a power washing machine or hire a small pressure washing company to do it for you, but you will want to ensure you soft-wash your house and power-wash walkways/decks.
Mold, grime, organic matter, dirt, bird droppings, and other things will find their way onto the outside of your home. It will only cost you a few hundred dollars to have your house soft-washed and this can make everything from the front porch to the siding look great!
☑️ Related: How to Find a Great Real Estate Agent Fast
5. Replace any old exterior light fixtures
Just like a new haircut makes you look and feel better, replacing old light fixtures is an easy cosmetic upgrade for your home. Trends and styles change, and old light fixtures can sometimes stick out like a sore thumb.
Modern, outdoor LED lights are an inexpensive way to add some curb appeal! Remember, your home’s curb appeal doesn’t have to be expensive. You can find lights for under $100 online.
Remember that if you decide to replace the lights on your own, you know enough about electrical work! Rule number one always cut the power to the light fixtures you work on!
6. Add a fresh coat of paint
You can add a fresh coat of paint to your front door to make it pop, or you might need to fix chipped paint around your entryways/windows. While it might not seem obvious, paint around door frames, and windows can age quickly.
This means you need to make sure to have someone (or you can DIY) come paint doors, shutters, and any other areas required. Older homes will need this more often than newer homes because of materials used like wood, etc.
Painting your front door is easy on the level of difficulty; ensure you get the right sort of paint from your local hardware store, and never paint on a sweltering day!
7. Consider prospective buyers
Put yourself in your buyer’s shoes; what would you change about your home?
If you can identify the pain points of potential buyers, you can increase the chances of selling your home. For example, maybe you don’t really like your outdated garage door. While this might cost a few thousand dollars to replace if it is something you KNOW buyers won’t like – consider replacing it.
Perhaps you have always wanted a patio outside of your back door because of the mud; consider adding a landing pad with rocks or even a paver patio. While some of these upgrades can be on the pricier side, in the end, you want to put yourself in the buyer’s shoes.
The Verdict – Your Home’s Curb Appeal:
Other things you can do, like a porch swing, new door, new roof, replacing your garden hose, removing/adding outdoor furniture, and decluttering the driveway, range from simple to complex.
Again, always start with two things:
- a budget
- a plan
Selling your home was challenging in 2009 and easy in 2022. It is hard to say what the future will be like, but chances are, you will still want to add some curb appeal before you list your home to increase the likelihood of getting what you want!
If you have a real estate question, don’t hesitate to ask here! Also, here are some other helpful articles if you plan on selling your home:
