If you’ve decided to sell your house, it might seem like there are a million projects you need to complete before the listing goes live.
Unfortunately, you only have so much time (and money) to spend on home improvements. You don’t want to spend weeks on projects that won’t improve your home’s selling price.
It’s important to prioritize the simple things that make a huge difference.
That’s why a good real estate agent will tell you to focus on one thing first: how to improve your home’s curb appeal.
Like most people, you may have heard of curb appeal before but only have a general sense of its meaning. However, if you want to get top dollar for your home, you’re going to need to know a little more.
In this article, we move past the generalities. We give specific answers to your questions — what is curb appeal? and why does it matter? And we give you 13 easy things you can do to improve your home’s curb appeal. Every one of these mini-projects is cheap and easy. But they pay off big when it’s time to list your home. A few minutes of reading, a couple weeks of sweat equity and your realtor might just call you with multiple offers.
What is Curb Appeal?
“Curb appeal” is all about how attractive your home looks from the street.
Does someone driving past say “wow, that place is beautiful!”? Or do they make a face and say “ouch, that front door is ugly — and do they even own a lawn mower”?
Harsh, I know. But that’s how curb appeal works. It’s a snap judgment — your home’s exterior, front yard and entryway, all in one quick glance.
Why Does Curb Appeal Matter?
Curb appeal is a person’s first impression of your home, and it’s hard to overcome. The smallest details will shape how someone views your home for a long time. This can matter a great deal.
We believe every homeowner deserves to be proud of their home. No one wants to invite friends or family over and immediately start apologizing because of flaking paint or overgrown grass. You deserve to march your loved ones up to the front door with pride and feel confident as you invite them into your space.
While curb appeal matters every day, it becomes especially important when you’re trying to sell your home.
Without good curb appeal, you won’t be able to attract the right buyers. Once the “for sale” sign goes up in your yard, every passerby starts checking out your house. With bad curb appeal, people will forget your home as soon as they round the corner. But with good curb appeal, they might just tell everyone at work about “the cutest little place for sale west of Grand Rapids.”
Curb appeal also makes a significant difference when your home is listed among other online real estate listings.
People tend to browse Zillow and other online real estate sites quickly — they only stop when a photo catches their eye. So it’s important for your featured image to have what it takes to stop buyers mid-scroll. If you show off beautiful curb appeal, people are likely to engage more with your listing.
That gives you more offers and the best chance at selling your home for top dollar.
The Benefits of Sprucing Up Your Curb Appeal
If you’re planning to list your home on the real estate market, there are several steps you’ll need to get it ready to show potential buyers. Paying attention to your property’s curb appeal and making some necessary adjustments can make a big difference.
- Give a Great First Impression: Your yard’s curb appeal is the first thing a potential buyer will notice when they arrive at your home. It’s important to make it look as appealing as possible. If a buyer isn’t interested in your home’s outside appearance, it might affect how they view the rest of the property. First impressions are everything, so make yours count!
- Help Your Home Stand Out: Having excellent curb appeal can help your house stand apart from other real estate listings. Potential buyers tend to quickly skim online real estate sites, only reading more about homes if they like how they look. Maintaining or improving your home’s curb appeal is an excellent way to help your home stand out and drive more viewings.
- Provide a Preview: Your home’s curb appeal tends to reflect what the rest of the property will look like. If the outside looks disheveled, buyers will automatically assume that the interior is in the same condition. If it looks neat, well-kept, and attractive, buyers are more likely to be excited to see inside.
- Increase Your Home’s Perceived Value: Because potential buyers expect your home’s exterior to match its interior, beefing up your home’s exterior can help increase your return on investment. A well-maintained exterior is a great indication that your home’s interior has been given an equal level of care. On the other hand, potential buyers will likely assume that a home with poor curb appeal needs work on the inside – some buyers might not even look at the interior of a home if they don’t like how it looks on the outside. Maintaining your curb appeal can help you attract potential buyers and maximize your selling price.
If you want to set your home apart from other real estate listings, it’s important to pay proper attention to your curb appeal. Let our team help!
How to Improve Your Home’s Curb Appeal
Refresh the Exterior
1. Wash the exterior of your home
Pro tips: Work in small sections at a time. For typical cleaning use soap and water. For mildew and more difficult stains, use a solution of water, dish soap and bleach.
Protect windows and plants before you turn on the hose.
2. Paint the house and trim
Pro tips: Keep it neutral. Grays or taupe colors give you the best odds of reselling. (Just make sure your house isn’t the exact same color as your neighbor’s.)
Perfect the Entryway
3. Make sure your house numbers are straight and rust-free
Pro tips: The most important thing is that they’re easy to read from the street. Choose a style that fits your home, but don’t get overly creative here.
4. Paint the front door
Pro tips: It’s okay to choose a color that contrasts with the siding, but don’t pick something too bright. You want to attract a wide range of people.
5. Put a flower pot by the front door
Pro tips: This is where you want to use a splash of color. The right flowers will make your entryway feel bright and welcoming.
6. Don’t forget the welcome mat
Pro tips: There are a lot of options here, but it’s hard to beat the classic coir welcome mat.
Tend to the Landscaping
7. Put down some mulch
Pro tips: Think black or brown here. It’s a classic look that draws eyes to the house.
8. Mow the lawn
Pro tips: While exact numbers vary depending on your species of grass, try to keep the lawn between 2.5-3 inches. To keep the yard looking its best, you may have to mow twice a week during showings.
9. Trim the shrubs
Pro tips: Save money and rent a hedge trimmer if you don’t already own one. Many home improvement stores rent them out for the day or week.
10. Weed the driveway, flower beds and landscaping
Pro tips: If you can, wait until it rains. Weeds will come up much more easily if the soil is wet.
Clean, clean, clean
11. Remove spider webs
Pro tips: The easiest way to remove a spider web is with a vacuum cleaner.
12. Sweep the walkway
Pro tips: Power washing will get you the best results, but be careful not to ruin nearby grass with the water pressure.
13. Clean your gutters
Pro tips: This job can get kind of dirty so be sure to wear gloves if you’re doing it yourself. Use a garden tool to scoop the gunk out into a trash bag.
Don’t Have Time for Every Task on this List?
You’ll notice we grouped each activity into one of four different categories. If you can’t do everything on this list, try to choose a few from each category. Don’t be afraid to ask for help! Ask your real estate agent which projects are most important for your home. They’ll be able to tell you which ones yield the highest return and help bring you top dollar. You might be surprised!
At TJ Homes, we even bring a designer in to help! They give you a personalized checklist so you know the projects — from curb appeal to interior decoration — that will make the biggest difference for your home. All at no cost to you.
Interested? Let’s connect and get started! Our real estate agents are happy to do what it takes to help you get the best value out of your home.
