The first thing you see when you pull up to a home puts an impression in your mind of the property, whether you realize it or not. The same goes for people visiting your home. Often, homeowners are so used to their own house that they don’t notice the overall curb appeal or think about how to make it look better. If you’re selling your home curb appeal is very important, but improving curb appeal can also help property values and your overall enjoyment of driving up to your home even if you plan to stay there a long time.
The First Step:
Here we’ll give you some ideas to increase your home’s curb appeal. But first, just take a step back and look at everything you can see from the “curb.” What stands out? What looks good? Are there any eyesores? Try as hard as you can to see your home from someone else’s shoes – someone who is walking up for the first time. Make a list of what stands out to you, and after reading the following suggestions, make another list of things you’d like to tackle.
Here are some outside remodeling ideas to increase your home’s curb appeal:
Exterior Paint and Siding
How is the paint or siding on your home? Sometimes this is one of the easiest and fastest ways to make things new again. If the paint or siding on your home is faded, chipped or dull it may be time for repainting or getting new siding. This step can make the biggest difference since your home’s siding will be the bulk of what someone sees.
Design/Trim Elements
Does your house have any unique design elements that stand out or is it plain and outdated? Adding things like new trim around the windows, a flower box or new railing on a front porch can go a long way to a spruced-up look at the front of your home.
Windows
Have you ever driven by a house that had sparkling beautiful front windows? The difference in how a home looks with these type of windows compared to faded weathered windows can be dramatic. It’s possible your windows need a good thorough cleaning, or maybe they just need to be replaced. Depending on your budget and curb appeal goals, there are a lot of options when it comes to windows.
The Front Porch
Whether your home has a covered front porch area or just a walk-up slab of concrete, this is where visitors (and potential home buyers) will spend their first moments at your home. Remodeling your porch and making sure it’s in good shape can make a big impact on curb appeal. If you don’t have much of a porch and your budget allows it, adding a beautiful front porch to your home could make a dramatic difference. If you’re on a tighter budget, sometimes simply cleaning your porch and adding some plants can make your home more inviting.
Sidewalk
The sidewalk leading to your house should be checked for cracks and to make sure the surface is even. Make sure to repair your sidewalk where it needs it and to clean it every once in a while.
Lighting Fixtures
Here’s where you can get fancy. If your home has old lighting fixtures this is one of the easiest fixes to add style and elegance. Whether you go online or to a local home improvement store, you can find beautiful fixtures that may not even cost that much. It may be good to call an electrician for this work to make sure it’s done to code and is done safely.
Pro Tip on Lighting: Get creative! While replacing an existing fixture is easiest, if you want to add more lighting to the front of your home don’t hesitate to dream about how it could look – from adding additional lights near the front door to a lamp post in the lawn.
Front Door
The front door is another place you can easily upgrade and add elegance to your home. There are a wide range of front doors, from cheap “gets the job done” doors to elegant handcrafted masterpieces. Decide what you can afford and look for some unique styles that can make the front of your home really stand out. If you want to keep it inexpensive, re-painting your existing front door can make a huge difference!
Mailbox
Not every home has a mailbox in front of it, but if yours does consider how it looks. If it’s old and dilapidated it may be time for an upgrade. This is an easy and inexpensive fix.
Landscaping
A glance at your home wouldn’t be complete without considering the landscaping around it. A walk to your front door doesn’t have to be ugly or boring. Make sure at a minimum you don’t have overgrown bushes or grass that has died out. You want grass to be green and bushes to be trimmed. This is also an area where you (or your landscaping contractor) can get creative! Planting trees, flowers and bushes in the right places can draw out your home’s beauty and make it feel like a sanctuary.
We hope this list has given you something to think about when it comes to your home’s curb appeal. Now it’s time to make a list of things you may want to improve at the front of your home. If you are planning any type of remodeling job on your home don’t forget that Experts In Your Home is here to help you out. We can help talk you through your dream plans for remodeling and give you a free quote. Give us a call today - we do more than you think!
