5 Things That Add Curb Appeal To Your Home
When it comes to updating your home and doing regular home maintenance, it’s often the outside that gets overlooked. After all, the inside of your home is where you spend the majority of your time and what you ultimately look at the most.
Similarly, if you do choose to update any of your home’s outdoor space, it will likely be the backyard where you spend more time, as opposed to the front yard. There are tons of sensible reasons why updating the exterior of your home is often not a priority for homeowners, but you certainly don’t need to spend a ton of money or time to improve the look of your home and add curb appeal.
From regular safety maintenance to lush landscaping, there are tons of ways you can boost the look and appeal of your home. Whether you are interested in putting your home on the market soon or simply want your house to look more aesthetically appealing, here are 5 easy things you can do to add major curb appeal to your home.
What Is Curb Appeal?
Curb appeal refers to the first impression a home or property gives without stepping inside. Essentially it means the aesthetic look of a home’s exterior which sets the stage for what the inside of a home will look like or the type of neighborhood it’s located in.
As this deals with visual style, curb appeal can typically be subjective. However, there are some universal qualities that define good curb appeal such as a well-kept yard, paint that isn’t chipping or worn, in-tact roof, and other indications that the home is well taken care of and maintained.
Curb appeal also sets the expectations of what a house will look like on the inside.
This is important for prospective buyers as an unkept exterior can have a significant impact on the purchase of a home or whether or not buyers will even step foot inside.
Why Your Home Needs Curb Appeal
The number one reason people place such importance on curb appeal is its ability to maximize your property’s value. While homes are often appraised for their interior features and overall condition, well-kept front yards with professional landscaping typically sell for 7% more. You want both the inside and outside to communicate safety, maintenance, and beauty to potential homebuyers.
Good curb appeal sets the expectations for what the home will be like inside. If prospective buyers notice chipping paint and overgrown weeds, they’ll be more hesitant to trust the quality and integrity of the home.
However, one of the most common questions tends to be, I’m not moving, so
why do I need to worry about curb appeal? We understand that the primary reason to add curb appeal for most people is in preparation for selling a home. However, attending to your front yard and front home exterior is crucial for keeping up the safety of your home. Overgrown tree branches can cause potential issues during storms, broken roof tiles can speak to larger roofing issues and potential interior leakage.
Maintaining the outside of your home, both lawn and exterior structure is important for basic safety and of course, it’s always nice to admire your home as you drive up to it.
5 Ways To Add Curb Appeal To Your Home
Whether you are about to put your home on the market, considering selling within the next few years, or just want to maintain the exterior integrity of your home, here are some of the top ways to add curb appeal to your property.
Landscaping
Landscaping and lawn care are easily some of the biggest ways to transform the outside of your home. You don’t need to be an expert gardener to ensure the garden beds, shrubs, or design elements are clean, trimmed, and in good condition. Be sure to regularly mow the lawn, managing any weeds as you go. If there are empty patches it’s worth seeding these to give your entire lawn a cohesive, lush look. Similarly, regular lawn watering (especially in the warmer, dry months) will prevent grass from changing color or completely drying out.
Next, look at any bushes or trees and be sure to trim them regularly. Whether you want a lush garden or to take a more simple approach, adding a fresh layer of mulch can completely transform the look of your property’s exterior. The best thing about living in a Revere Home? When you’re a member of the Apple Hollow community in Santaquin, we take care of all landscaping and snow removal. Looking for more landscaping help? Check out our Landscaping Tips For New Construction Homes.
Maintained Roof
In case you haven’t caught on, curb appeal is less about painting your home’s exterior a pretty color and more about ensuring your property’s physical condition. Whether you’re looking to sell your home or not, maintaining the integrity of your home’s roof is crucial to the safety and comfort of your home’s interior. Be sure to regularly check the structure, looking for any chipped roofing or broken shingles. Old-looking roofs are one of the biggest turnoffs for prospective buyers as replacing them can be fairly expensive. The benefit to buying a new construction home is the confidence in the newness and quality of your home’s roof.
Don’t Forget the Driveway
Probably the most overlooked aspect of curb appeal, the driveway is more about function than appearance and therefore, tends to get put on the bottom of the home renovation list. But a cracked, drab, uneven, or weed-filled driveway is a huge red flag to potential buyers. Similarly, these types of driveways can wreak havoc on your car’s tires and create a potential safety hazard for children playing outdoors.
Pull any weeds, fill in cracks, power wash a few times a year and if it’s in very rough shape it’s worth replacing or adding sealant over the entire length and width of your driveway.
Sparkling Exterior
In addition to the driveway and roof, the appearance of your home’s siding is a key element to judging curb appeal. Peeling paint, cracked siding, discoloration, or dirty siding signals a poorly kept home, both inside and out. Ready to tackle this problem? Meet your new best friend, the power washer. Power, or pressure washers, are easy and quick ways to completely refresh exterior surfaces like roofs, driveways, walkways, patios, decks, or siding. If you don’t own one (or don’t want to buy one) many places will rent them to you.
Add Lighting
When it comes to curb appeal, don’t only think about what your home looks like in the daytime. Lighting not only adds ambiance to your home, but it’s a great way to ensure safety at night. Opt for solar-powered lights you can add along walkways or driveways or within landscaping elements. You can also add twinkle lights around your porch or wrap around the base of a tree. A bright garage floodlight is another great way to provide security or a clear path to your front door
Other Affordable Ways To Add Curb Appeal
In addition to the above five ways to transform the exterior of your home, there are several other affordable things you can do to add curb appeal without spending a lot of money or time. Think about these as final touches to add once all the other important stuff has been done.
Paint the front door: Painting your front door in a bright or bold hue can immediately revive and brighten up your home’s entire exterior.
Clean windows & gutters: Make sure all windows, gutters, and doors are sparkling clean. You might have to replace any windows or screens that are damaged, worn, or letting in too much air from the outside.
Upgrade your mailbox: Sometimes it’s the little details that make the biggest impact. Dirty or rusty mailboxes can make your home look dated and uncared for. Add a fresh mailbox and bold new house numbers.
Update garage doors: Don’t forget about this often overlooked feature of your home’s exterior. Keep garage doors clean by power washing them and keep them interesting and unique by painting them to match your siding or opting for the same shade as your front door. You can also find temporary magnetic decorative hardware and faux elements like handles or window panels that add interest and depth.
Add a bright doormat: Arguably the most affordable, and easiest, method of updating your home while simultaneously making it inviting and warm. The best part? These aren’t permanent so you can change them with the seasons.
The Revere Homes Guarantee
Imagine a pristine home, never before dwelt in, where you create all the memories, all the pencil marks on the walls, all the laughter, and life that fills the rooms is yours alone. At Revere Homes, we pride ourselves on being experienced, creative, detail-driven home builders that listen and care about the people we’re building a new home for. From floor plans to finishes, you get to personalize and customize your home to suit you and your family. Ready to make your dream home a reality? Contact us today to get started.
