Simple Ways to Add Curb Appeal and Value to Your Home
People say you can’t judge a book by its cover. If that’s true, why do books have covers at all? We all know the truth — first impressions count. If they didn’t, why would we dress up for things like job interviews and dates and court appearances?.
The same logic applies to your home. The way your house looks can say a lot about you. And people will form impressions of you based on the way your house looks. Is it fair? Not necessarily. But it’s the truth. If your home doesn’t look as good as it could, people can and will judge you for it.
Curb appeal refers to the exterior appearance of your home, as seen from the curb of the street outside. This is your house's chance to make a first impression. It doesn't matter how beautiful the inside of your home is, because nobody can see that from the street. Once that first impression is made, it can be very hard to shake.
Curb appeal is especially important if you are trying to sell your home. In a tough market, a potential buyer's first impression can make or break your chance to sell your house. But you don't need to be selling your home for curb appeal to matter. After all, your home is probably the biggest investment of your life. You wanted it to look nice both inside and out. So here are some simple and yet surprisingly effective ways to enhance the curb appeal of your home.
1. Paint the Front Door
Adding curb appeal to your home doesn't have to be a major project. Sometimes, simple touches are all that's required. One of the easiest yet most effective things you can do to enhance your home's curb appeal is painting the front door.
This is a job you can do yourself in a single day, and probably for less than a hundred dollars for supplies. Don't be afraid to choose a bright color, as this can help to draw the eye toward your welcoming front door. But make sure any color you choose complements the other colors of your house. If in doubt, get a swatch and hold it up to the front door to give you an idea of what the finished color will look like.
It sounds simple, and it is. But you'll be surprised what a big difference a freshly painted front door can make.
2. Go Green
Few things are more inviting than the bright colors of carefully chosen plants. If your home has a front yard, this is one of the best ways to add curb appeal to your house. Planting a variety of plants and shrubs will make your home far more attractive to anyone who passes by.
You can also use plants to outline a path, leading the eye toward your front door. This is a surprisingly effective trick that does wonders to make your property more inviting.
3. Improve Exterior Lighting
Most of us aren't Batman, and so darkness has very limited appeal. People instinctively avoid dark entryways and paths. You can make your home much more inviting with the creative use of exterior lights.
A new outside light fitting can help to spruce up your home. Make sure to clean dirt and spiderwebs off existing lighting so the light can shine out brighter and illuminate your home. And if you don't have enough light outside, consider adding some nice-looking string lights. Or, you could use lanterns to illuminate the walkway leading to your front door. Solar-powered lanterns are cheap and low maintenance since they don't require any wiring.
Not only will the right exterior lighting increase the appeal of your home, but it will also help security. Crime thrives in darkness, and a well-lit home can deter burglars.
4. Create Perfect Symmetry
Ever heard of the golden ratio? Some patterns and ratios are inherently appealing to the human eye. And one factor to consider in your home's curb appeal is symmetry. People like symmetrical things. So try to make sure that your home looks symmetrical.
If you have a light on one side of the front door do put the same light on the other side. If you have hanging baskets, make sure that the space between them is even. Do everything you can to make your home look symmetrical, and it will look far more put together and well-maintained than it would otherwise.
5. Update Your Mailbox
It's easy to forget about your mailbox. These functional units are often neglected when people try to spruce up their homes. But small details matter.
Replacing an old and weatherbeaten mailbox with a sleek new version can help add to the appeal of your home. It's those kinds of small details that let people know that your house is being looked after by someone who cares.
6. Add New House Numbers
Replacing the numbers on your home is a simple DIY job that anyone can do, but it can make a real difference in your home's appearance. If you're still using the numbers that came with your house, maybe it's time to consider an upgrade.
Choose a font that fits with the appearance of your home. A newer home will look better with a more modern font, whereas if you live in a more traditional property, you might be better with something more classic. Either way, new and carefully chosen numbers on your house add to the fresh and carefully considered look you're trying to achieve.
7. Pressure Wash Everything
A clean house is a welcoming house. But time and weather can take a toll on the exterior of your property, causing grime to build up and stain siding, stucco, wooden decks and railings, and other exterior features.
Pressure washing is a relatively easy way to restore that gleam to your home. If you don’t have a pressure washer of your own, you can probably rent one fairly cheaply from a home improvement store. The high-pressure water will scour dirt and grime off your house and make it look like new.
Just remember that this is a job that, once started, you need to finish. Nothing looks worse than a house that's half clean and half dirty. So make sure you allow yourself enough time to get the job finished.