First impressions can make or break a sale. They also influence the value of your home, whether it is seen by potential buyers, home inspectors or your neighbors.
What many don’t realize is that you don’t have to spend a fortune on home renovations to make your home stand out.
Just making a few adjustments could be enough to put your listing over the top and add a few extra thousand to the asking price.
In this article, we’re going to give you six ways to improve your home’s curb appeal that won’t break the bank.
Fix Up Your External Walls
The wood siding may be structurally sound, but it probably needs to be repainted.
Scraped, faded or peeled paint on siding looks unattractive, and no amount of lovely interior design can offset that negative impression.
When the exterior siding is warped or coming off, people question the structural integrity of the house.
Fix your external walls to solve this problem. At a minimum, replace dented and missing siding.
Cracks in the brickwork can suggest a shifting foundation or other problems; fix this if you can, but note that actual structural repairs may be necessary.
However, deteriorated mortar joints can be replaced. If you have a stucco home, have bulges and cracks fixed.
Fix or Add New Floors
I know this may seem scary, but replacing floors can be done on a budget, as long as the job isn’t too extensive.
Since you’re trying to put your home on the market and sell it fast, you could simply add a few interlocking floors in places where the floor might seem outdated. Luxury vinyl tiles could be a great option as well.
One of the benefits of luxury vinyl tiles is that they can reproduce almost any texture and are completely waterproof.
So, you could get the appearance of wooden floors in your bathroom without having to worry about warping.
Just a small detail like that could make your bathroom stand out and sway the buyer’s opinion.
Make Your Home More Accessible
If someone trips on the sidewalk coming up to the front door, it is almost impossible to make up for their negative experience.
One of the essential steps to improving curb appeal is fixing the sidewalk and uneven paths. Your home’s stairs or ramps need to be clear of trip hazards and swept clean.
Remove the pile of junk that may be sitting in the corner of the porch.
The screen in your door should be intact, and the screen door and front door easy to open. If someone struggles to open the front door, they’re going to wonder what else is wrong with the property.
Tame the Landscaping
Before you assume you have to upgrade the landscaping, consider whether it can be tamed instead.
Pull up the weeds, cut back the bushes, trim overhanging branches, and clean up the borders.
Clear out the broken things piling up in the corner of the backyard and remove all those ant mounds.
Replace any dead plants in the garden, and if the yard still falls short, then you can consider making little changes like planting flowers and installing decorative borders.
Landscape lighting around walkways makes your home attractive and inviting while improving visitor’s safety.
Porch lights can make your home stand out while improving visibility for those walking up to the front door.
Fix Your Fence – Or Put One Up
A broken fence suggests poor care of the property and could be enough to make buyers think twice about putting in an offer.
A good fence can be attractive to home buyers, since it gives them a sense of security. The fence will keep in young children and pets, and it will prevent strangers from just walking right up to the house.
Talk to a wood fence and gate installation and repair service if your fence needs to be updated or fixed.
Note that replacing a minimalist gate with a secure one can make the property look well maintained and secure.
A wood gate is also more attractive and affordable than a metal gate, while it provides more privacy than a wrought iron gate.
Add a Little Color
A little color can capture people’s attention and make the property seem inviting. A brightly colored front door is one approach.
Another is putting colorful plants in planters and placing them on the front porch. If it is too cold to do this, installing a bright mailbox or welcome mat can do the trick.
Beautifying your home inside and out may be necessary to selling it fast and for a decent profit, but too many people forget the importance of curb appeal.
Address the issues we’ve outlined, and you’ll have a home that buyers want to tour and neighbors will appreciate.
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