Sept. 25, 2019
You're not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but we all know a good cover can entice you to read the first page. That same idea translates to real estate — and curb appeal is what brings your buyer to the front door. The trick here is getting a good return on investment. Here are six budget-friendly ways to boost curb appeal.
1. Front Door
Your front door is one of the first things potential buyers see, and they are judging your home from the moment they walk up to it. Paint it black, and statistics show you’ll command a higher price — $6,000 more. That’s an amazing return on investment.
2. Garage Door
Your garage door could be ruining your curb appeal efforts just by taking up so much space on your home’s facade. If you’ve got an old, battered, dinged-up garage door — half of your facade may be an architectural gem, but potential buyers will look at the garage door and keep moving. Remodeling Magazine’s 2019 Cost vs. Value report says that garage door replacement is the project with the best return on investment. If you’re serious about boosting your home's curb appeal — this is a project to consider.
3. Yard
The neatly mowed yard with the edges trimmed and the flower beds weeded will always win out over the front yard run over with weeds and neglect. If you’ve got a lawn -- mow it regularly, keep it watered, and seed it with cold-weather grasses in the fall to keep the lawn green year-round. If you have a desert-scaped yard, keep it free of weeds and check on your succulents to make sure they’re not falling prey to pests or diseases.
Blast the dirt, dust, and grime off of your driveway, front walk, and your home with a few hours of work (or hire someone to do it.) Think of power-washing as deep-cleaning the outside of your home. You can also use degreasers and detergents to help blast grease, oil, and dirt off of your driveway, walk, and porch. Getting rid of years of grime will instantly boost your curb appeal, for very little money.
5. Touching Up
Got chipped or peeling paint? Now is the time to touch that up, because even though you might think no one will notice — they will. Remember, buyers are deciding if they want to spend their money on your house. Don’t give them a reason to cross your address off of their list. But keep in mind, touching up peeling or chipped paint is not as simple as slapping another coat of paint over it. You’ll have to fix the problem areas or else the problem may get worse.
6. The Small Details
Consider replacing the house numbers on the exterior. Larger ones will give your home an updated look. You can spend less than $200 (or less than $100 depending on your address) on new house numbers and send a subtle message about why buyers look inside. Another small detail is having your house numbers painted on the curb in front of your home. If you already have numbers painted on the curb, a touch up will make it look brand new again.
Going back to that book and cover metaphor, people can and will judge your home by its curb appeal. And don’t wait until after you’ve listed your home to make those changes. According to Zillow, home buyers decide whether they’ll even come look at your home by looking at the pictures online, first. It’s worth every penny to get your home look its best before you take photos. You'll be able to close the book, and the sale, in no time.
