Ever heard how a first impressions last a lifetime? Just like a book cover, the first impression always sets the stage for what is inside. Regardless of your motive, whether you want to make improvements for personal enjoyment or if you’re going to put your house on the market, adding curb appeal is an inexpensive way of boosting your home’s value and making it look as nice as possible.
Research by the National Association of Realtors showed that over 60% of homebuyers are likely to show up at your doorstep after viewing your home online if it’s exterior looks amazing. In as much as you may not have given much thought to your driveway, yard, sidewalk or front entry, they matter a lot when it comes to increasing your home’s aesthetic and monetary value. So, how does one create characteristics that will elicit strong emotional appeal to your neighbors, family, friends or potential buyers? Let’s look at some of the things you can do to make the exterior of your home look perfect.
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Mailbox Makeover
Mailboxes should express a homeowner’s personality as well as complement a home. If you decide to have a hanging drop box, choose a box that reflects the trimming of your home. You can increase a mailbox curb appeal by painting wooden posts so that they match with your house’s exterior color. You can also surround it with a beautiful flower garden.
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Upgrade House Numbers
Modernize your homes’ look by removing old house numbers and replace them with something that has an urban vibe. Choose a font which complements your home’s architecture. When doing so, be keen so that you can have something that grabs the eye from a distance. Replacing house numbers is simple, and it takes less than an hour to get the job done.
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Plant Flowers or Flowering Plants
Some people have a notion that increasing curb appeal can be costly. With flowers, it doesn’t have to be so. Flowers or flowering plants make an impact. They invite friendly buzzing bees, butterflies and they also make your house appear to be full of color. Plant flowering plants or flowers with colors that complement your house’s façade. Ensure that you plant varieties which bloom at different times. Doing so ensures that you have a color palette that continuously changes after a few months. Planting flowers is inexpensive since it typically costs less than $100.
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Clean Your Gutters
You might not think that your home’s gutters make a lot of impact on its appearance. However, cleaning the outside and inside parts of your gutters makes an instant observable impact. Clear all the debris and scrub the outside until they look brand new. After doing so, you’ll be surprised at what a little scrubbing can do.
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Utilize Outdoor Furniture
When it comes to outdoor furniture, you have to be smart lest you go overboard. Too little outdoor furniture makes your home appear neglected while too much can furniture clutters its appearance. Try to find a balance and ensure that the furniture is in good condition. You can go with simple ceramic stools and small tables with pretty planters on the top if you have a small yard.
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Get Rid of Junk
Lose all eyesores on your property. They include dead bushes, unruly garden hoses, old vehicles, swing sets, lawn furniture, and empty planters. Anything outside your house that is unnecessary or unattractive should be recycled, tossed, given away or sold. While you are at cutting loose the clutter, find a place to hide the recycled cans and garbage. Ensure that the place is out of sight.
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Nurture and Mow the Lawn
Lawns dramatically impact curb appeal because they are a major part of your front yard. Kill weeds, rake, mow, manicure and edge your lawn for an elegant front yard look. Also, make sure that it is well fertilized and watered. If you live in drought-stricken areas or where water is scarce, consider drought-tolerant landscaping. However, you should be advised that drought-tolerant landscaping can be a bit more expensive and it takes time for such landscaping to mature.
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Prune Trees and Bushes
Bushes and trees bring a sense of majesty, maturity, and fullness to properties. These wonderful landscape additions can, however, become overgrown and rangy, making property less attractive. They can block the views you want to flaunt or overshadow gardens that need sunlight. If you observe that your bushes and trees are out of control, trim or hire a professional to prune them.
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Use the Right Paint Colors
In as much as pruning and trimming overgrown hedges makes a massive difference to your home’s appearance, changing or re-doing the paint color also completely changes your house’s looks. When shopping for paints, consider your home’s position and as well as artificial and natural lighting. Before purchasing any paint, consult with the experts about the quality of the paints. Always go for high-quality paints.
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Add Interesting Details
To increase your home’s curb appeal, you can install stylish front porch lights, a brilliant door knocker or brand new shining house numbers. Adding a touch of elegance in the garden can also be achieved by installing water features, garden sculpture or birdbath.
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Wash the House
Work from the top down by sweeping away cobwebs and dirt. Use a pressure washer or garden hose to wash and clean the walls. You can also scrub dirty walls with a soft-bristle brush with long handles and a solution of water and non-phosphate detergent. After this, rinse from top to bottom.
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Install Exterior Vinyl Sidings
Quality exterior vinyl sidings are a perfectly safe choice for homes. Their fresh quality looks give most homes a fantastic appearance. Vinyl sidings are a great choice because they can be customized to many different colors and styles. They are also applicable to a home of any size or shape.
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Build Benches around your Trees
Most homebuyers find comfortable outdoor spots appealing because they have a place to hang out with their family members. These spots are ideal for relaxing and playing board games and card games. If your front yard has several trees, you can make them an extension of a porch by adding benches that can be used for outdoor gatherings by your family members.
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Repair Your Deck
Repairing or replacing old decks goes a long way in adding your home’s overall curb appeal. Having a deck means having unwavering dedication when it comes to maintenance. One of the great ways of maintaining or upgrading the looks of an old deck is by staining.
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Add Window Planters
There are numerous ways of adding curb appeal to your home. One of the ways of accenting a boring exterior in a gorgeous and affordable manner is by adding window planters. You can work with useful herbs or colorful plants; you will not be disappointed.
As you see, increasing your home’s curb appeal does not necessarily have to be a costly affair. Some simple things like getting rid of the junk or washing your house go a long way in making your house’s exterior look better. However, some activities like repairing and staining your deck might need professional intervention. At C.E.T Painting, we will help you make your house more attractive and customize it however you want. For quotes and inquiries, visit our website or call (914) 615-1415. Check out the next section of our blog article where we explore another 15 tips on how to increase curb appeal for your home.