When shopping for a home, potential buyers generally make a decision to tour a house based on their first impression from the outside. As a seller, it’s important to improve curb appeal before listing your home for sale.
Improve Curb Appeal: Upgrade Your Front Door
Install a new front door to give your home a fresh look. If you don’t have enough in your budget for a new one, repainting your existing door is an easy and inexpensive option. Repaint it a color that complements the home’s exterior. If your doorknob, knocker, or lock is worn or damaged, install replacements. Hanging a seasonal wreath on your door is an inexpensive touch that welcomes guests.
Refresh Your Landscaping to Improve Curb Appeal
A well-landscaped lawn suggests that the whole home is well-cared for. Mow the grass, get rid of weeds, trim hedges, and put fresh mulch around flowerbeds. New flowering plants add eye-catching color. Add window boxes or hanging baskets to the front porch. Well-tended beds in the yard add even more color and interest.
Clean the Property Thoroughly
When selling your home, a top to bottom cleaning of the home’s exterior is in order. Clean the roof and gutters and wash all the windows. Pressure wash the siding to make your home look fresh and new. Exercise caution and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the power washer. You can also use the power washer for cleaning your driveway, deck, patio, and walkways. An alternative is hiring a power washing service to clean your property for you.
Declutter the Yard to Improve Curb Appeal
A clean house looks out of place in the midst of a messy yard. Remove belongings from your yard that don’t improve curb appeal. Make it easy for homebuyers to imagine what it’s like to live there. When your bike, children’s toys, and garden tools are sitting around the yard, buyers have a vision of your life there instead of their own.
Evaluate Your Trees
Tree branches that touch the roof or windows should be trimmed. Keep foliage neatly pruned and clean up any fallen branches and limbs from your yard. Remove diseased, dying, or damaged trees. Mulching around the base of the trees adds a nice touch and helps keep the trees healthy.
Remember Small Details Matter When Improving Curb Appeal
Paying attention to little details makes a dramatic difference in how buyers feel about your home. They equate neglected details with a neglected home. Here are some minor updates that improve curb appeal.
- Replace faded or damaged house numbers.
- Swap out a worn mailbox for a new one.
- Put out a new welcome mat.
Turn Your Porch into an Outdoor Room
Use your porch to extend the home’s living space. Furnish it with a seating area and a small outdoor table. Adding a porch swing and outdoor rug makes the space look even more inviting. Add color with potted plants.
Florida Superior Inspections offers home inspection services to sellers and buyers in Tampa, Hillsborough, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Manatee, Hernando, and surrounding communities. Request a seller inspection online before listing your home for sale.