Real estate agents agree that curb appeal is not only about upgrading your home with new 'stuff'. Of course, increasing your home's appraised value to land a profit is a good strategy, but it is only half the battle. The attraction factor of your home also plays a definitive role on its own. Below are a few tips to help you get started with finding and showing off your home's "it" factor.
1. Polish It Up
Be careful not to clean your windows with abrasive chemicals. Just a simple wiping with water and detergent will do the job and leave your windows shining and sparkling anew.
If your front door does not need a paint job, cleaning it will make a difference. Highlighting your door by making it look new again will definitely encourage buyers to stop and say hello.
Pressure washing your porch, patio, driveway, and siding will make the colors of your home 'pop'. Your porch's wooden deck did not change its color to a grayish brown, it has become stuffed and needs a pressure washing to retain its original color and look brand new again. If you don't have a pressure washer you can rent one from your Home Depot or Lowe's store.
2. Add More Color
Paint your windows to accent the edges and match the trim with your home's exterior, but don't stop there - if you have a bay or bow window, make sure its roofing matches the material and shape of the house's roof. This will give your bay or bow window the appearance of belonging. Another tip is to have your windows' frame shapes not clash with the outline of your home. Having a T-plan with too many unequal ridge heights and dormers for a roof may not go well with curvy window frames.
Paint your home's siding a color that matches your roof.
Make all the necessary changes that need to be done while the weather is still acceptable. Don't wait until the winter gets here. Planting flowers of different colors, for example, in the fall so that they bloom in the spring to match your stone glazed walkway that's just as grainy and rich in texture may not raise the home value, but it will definitely add one major factor for curb appeal.
3. Repair
If your fence is sagging, reverse the process by repainting it. This will protect the fence from moisture and/or termite damage.
Repair your window's rotted trim to improve your home insulation. This will also remove eyesores in the trim like rusty hang nails and joints that have broken away due to thermal buckling.
If your door has permanent stains that won't come off using equal parts of water and vinegar, a paint job should be due.
4. Upgrade
Mow and revitalize your lawn to get clearly defined edges between it, the porch, and driveway.
Adding sidewalk lights sets a welcoming tone for passers-by and creates a sense that the home itself begins at the end of the driveway.
Fix up your door by adding a fixed/picture window, perhaps in an arch shape, with laminated glass to add even more spice to the outside look of your home. This will allow for more light penetration and decorative appeal to the interior of your home.
Enhance your windows' insulation by adding retrofit windows to the outside of your current window. This will drastically upgrade your home's insulation performance, lower your energy bills, and give you more leverage with prospective buyers.
Echo the architecture with parallel walkways. The walkways in your backyard and sideyard can match the outline of your home's formation in terms of the roof shape, corners, and window shapes; this will create an overall coherent personality for your home.
At the end of the day, getting a second opinion from a friend with a fresh pair of eyes pays off as well. After living in a home for a while, we grow accustomed to certain flaws that are both obvious and forgettable which could deter potential buyers. Those cobwebs in the attic, and the squeaks in your under-stair storage doors need to go.
