Are you considering placing your home on the market? Now is a great time to sell your home because home values have increased, and we are now in a seller's market.
Before you put a for-sale sign out in the front yard, venture across the street for a good look at your home. Take it all in, the house, the lawn, the entire property. Now ask yourself, does my home have curb appeal?
If the answer is no, the resale value isn't going to reach its full potential. But don't fret. You still have time to make corrections. Take inventory of the things you don't like about your home and figure out how much money you can afford to spend to spruce things up a bit.
It's no problem if you don't know where to start. We're here to share five easy ways to increase your home's curb appeal and resale value. Keep reading to learn what they are.
Curb appeal is important whether you are selling your home or not. No one wants to be the neighbor with the ugly house in the middle of well-groomed properties.
Maintaining your home's appearance, both inside and out, protects it from deteriorating conditions. When you let small things go, they eventually turn into big things that cost more money to repair or replace.
Paying attention to the home's exterior makes it marketable and reduces the amount of work required when it's time for staging a home.
Before starting any projects, power wash your home's exterior. Include the porch, Lanai, walkways, and the driveway. Power washing removes built-up dirt that makes surfaces look dull and unappealing.
After you power wash your home, you'll see it in a new light. Windows will have more luster, stone surfaces are given new life, and decks come alive.
Cleaning up the exterior can also reveal imperfections in your siding and help determine if the home needs to get painted.
It would be best if you also used the opportunity to clean your gutters and make sure they are free of debris. Last, rower washing is inexpensive but provides great value. Afterward, you'll have a better perspective on what your home needs to improve its curb appeal.
After power washing your home, you may realize that your home's siding needs a makeover. There are multiple ways to upgrade your siding. You can repair or replace the existing siding with a similar product. Or, based on current trends, you may want to go with something new.
Here are the most common siding choices to increase your home value:
Repainting the exterior walls of your house is a good choice. You can go with the existing color or choose a modern palette. Sometimes changing the trim color is all you need.
Stucco is a cement-based siding application that you can do in a choice of textures. You can apply stucco to most surfaces and, soon after, paint in any color. Unlike painting, you'll need a skilled subcontractor for this job.
Adding pre-fab siding is not only a good home renovation project. It also will add to your resale value. There are various styles and unlimited design patterns to increase curb appeal.
Pre-fab siding comes in multiple forms, including aluminum, stone, vinyl, and wood. Modern technology has made it easier to mix different materials to turn basic homes into architectural masterpieces.
Most pre-fab siding today comes in various colors, so you don't have to worry about painting.
If you're lucky, you can increase your home's curb appeal by simply upgrading the windows and installing a new front door. Modern conveniences make it easy to ignore the appearance and condition of windows and doors.
With the inception of electric garage door openers and fancy interior window coverings, many homeowners pay little attention to their windows. Some people rarely use their front doors.
These simple replacements will make a huge difference.
The term staging a home is often used when it comes to selling a house. People immediately think of the home's interior and not the exterior. The truth is, to improve curb appeal, you'll need to stage the exterior of the home, as well.
What does staging mean for the outside? It's sprucing up your lawn. Call a professional lawn servicing company to address your grass. Consider fertilizing and also coloring to improve the appearance.
Clear out or create flower beds. Plant seasonal flowers and apply mulch. Trim your hedges and overgrown trees. A decorative garden fence is a nice added touch.
As an added touch, add new outdoor furniture for the porch or stage chairs under a large shade tree. Don't worry, you can take the furniture with you.
Are your outdoor light fixtures outdated or non-existent? A good way to stage a home and add curb appeal is to install modern lighting sconces at the front door and garage. Motion sensor lighting is popular.
Solar lighting placed along walkways and around flower beds will add allure to your home at night time.
Now that you know how to improve your home's curb appeal, it's time to get it on the market. The faster you can sell it, the sooner you can move into your new place.
Go ahead and create a budget for the repairs and upgrades. Make sure you understand which upgrades will provide a good ROI and which ones are simply cosmetic. Remember, you will most likely recoup major expenses with the increased value to the home.
With these tips, you'll also understand the importance of maintaining your new home's exterior.
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'The Norton Real Estate Team' is a registered team name under TREC licensed brokerage, Janus Real Estate Group, INC, License #0572020.
