August is National Curb Appeal Month, so even if you aren’t looking to sell, it’s the perfect time to spruce up the exterior of your home.
Besides making your home more attractive to prospective buyers, making small changes to the outside of your house can improve your quality of life inside! Increasing the curb appeal of your home does not have to be a daunting task. We have compiled a list of six affordable ways to improve the look of your home. It goes without saying that updating your old worn windows with Andersen Replacement Windows would improve your curb appeal, especially if you are replacing a bay or bow window. However, we write so much about windows on this blog that we are taking windows out of the equation.
1. Add Color
Adding color to your front yard can make all the difference. There are a variety of ways that you can add a pop of color that will make your home stand out. You could paint your shutters, trim, front door, or garage door a bright color to add color to the house itself. Or you could plant colorful plants to liven up a garden. They key is to add color in a way that is unique, but still fits with the overall feel of the house
2. Replace Your Front Door
If there is one part of your home that you could replace that will make the biggest difference in curb appeal, it’s your front door. A front door is generally the entry point to the home. It’s where many prospective buyers will form their first impression of the home. Having a new front door that open/closes/locks correctly and looks great goes a long way to improving the quality of a home. If you can’t afford to replace the whole door then consider replacing the hardware of the door (handle, locks), as well as the doorbell, light fixtures, or nameplate.
3. Clean It Up
Stand at the end of the driveway and look at your home like a buyer would. Can you see broken window screens? Is there clutter in driveway or yard? Is the yard and flower beds well maintained? Is there dirt on the mailbox? How about on the front door? Does the siding look dirty?
The easiest way to make your home look nicer is to clean it. It may not be a drastic increase, but if certain areas of your home are in disrepair or just need a good cleaning, freshening up your front yard will make a difference. If you front door, mailbox, garage door is dirty then simply just take a bucket, fill with soap and water and start scrubbing! For the exterior of your home rent or borrow a pressure washer and thoroughly clean the outside of your home. While you have the pressure washer, clean your driveway, siding, foundation, any walkways, patio deck and porch.
4. Landscaping
One of the most common ways to add curb appeal to your home is to add plants or trees to your front yard. Even planting one tree is a simple way to spice up your home. Make sure you decide which plants and trees work best for you home. Think of how much maintenance will be required and how big your tree will get and how it will affect your house. If you don’t have room for a tree, then adding flowers, bushes, or shrubs to the front of your home is a must. Most experts recommend planting colorful plants in cool colors, as they appeal to most potential buyers. If you are trying to sell your home, adding a layer of fresh mulch to the area before an open house will also improve curb appeal.
5. Maximize Space
If you can’t make any big changes like replacing your front door and redoing your landscaping, then maximize the space you already have. These are small changes that can be done for under 20 dollars. If you already have a great front door, then consider buying new exterior light fixtures. But make sure you think about the efficiency of the light fixtures and the style. You want to have light fixtures that are aesthetically appealing but also do a good job of lighting up your entryway. A quick way to add more color and plants is to add some flower boxes to your house. Install the flower boxes in the windows of your house or on your front porch. Flower boxes are relatively cheap, but remember you will also have to buy the flowers and soil for the boxes and you will also have to maintain the flowers to actually add curb appeal. If that seems like too much work, then consider buying some colorful flower pots and planting smaller flowers in those. Make sure to put these pots on your front porch in a place where they are visible.
6. Improve Your Signage
One lesser known way to up curb appeal is to update your mailbox and/or house numbers. Adding a new and upgraded mailbox, whether it is a stand alone box by the road or a box on the side of your home, a new box can make your home feel upgraded, which adds curb appeal to it. And new mailboxes can be inexpensive. Simple boxes can range anywhere from $10-$100.
Have you ever tried to find a home but couldn’t because the house numbers were faded, too small, or nonexistent? If your house has old house numbers on it, buy some new numbers to make it easy for buyers to find your home as well as adding curb appeal. Make sure you buy new numbers that match the finish on your exterior light fixtures. Also, try to buy modern-looking house numbers, made from stainless steel, brass or aluminum.
Want to replace your front door now? Check out our Therma-Tru Entry Door Systems or Schedule your Free Estimate today!
Want to learn more about our replacement window options — check out our Featured Projects page!
