Increase Your Home’s Value Up to 28% with These 5 Tips
Great curb appeal not only makes your home the star of the
neighborhood, it can also improve its value and help you sell it for more.
Whether you’re thinking of listing your home or just want to make your home the
envy of your neighbors, here are several ways to increase your home’s curb
appeal.
1. Make your home’s exterior look
like new.
For many potential buyers, the condition of the exterior of
a home can offer clues to the condition of the interior. The first place to
start when boosting curb appeal is the exterior of your house.
Paint. Paint is
the best way to make your home appear newer. While you can paint your home
yourself, if it’s large or more than one story, consider hiring a professional.
Painting is a fairly inexpensive improvement with between 60 to 100 percent
return on investment.1
Maintain your siding.
Over time, weather and the elements can make your home’s siding appear dull and
dirty. Use a pressure washer to clean stains, spider webs and accumulated dirt
and grime, or use a soft cloth and a household cleaner to get into those small
nooks and spaces. Although the average life expectancy of siding ranges from 60
to 100 years, depending on the material, extreme weather may reduce this
number. If you need to replace the siding, you’ll enjoy a 77 percent return on
investment.1
Paint or replace
garage doors. If your garage doors are in good condition, give them a new
coat of paint. If they’re beginning to show their age, consider replacing them.
Not only are new garage doors more energy efficient and better insulated than
older models, they also have a 91.5 percent return on investment.1
Maintain your fence. Replace
rotted or worn posts and panels and freshen it up with a coat of paint. If you
have a hedge that serves as your property’s border, keep it trimmed and in good
shape.
2. Pay attention to the small
details.
The small details tie your home’s exterior together and help
it stand out from others in the neighborhood.
Paint front door,
trim and shutters. This inexpensive improvement adds brightness to a home,
whether you choose a bold color, a neutral tone or classic white.
Install new door
fixtures and be sure they match in style and finish and complement the
style of your home.
Update your house
numbers. Make sure potential buyers and guests can find your home. If the
numbers have faded or need an update, replace them. If choosing a metallic
finish, make sure it matches the finish of your exterior light fixtures.
3. Tend to your driveway and lawn.
Well-landscaped homes may sell for between 5.5% and 12.7%
more than other similar homes and studies show it may also add up to 28 percent to your home’s
overall value.5
Place a border along
your driveway or walkway made of brick, stone, pavers or another hardscape
element to add visual interest to a plain driveway.
Maintain your green
space. If you have grass, a well-maintained, green lawn makes your home
look inviting and picturesque. However, in many parts of the country, water
conservation is becoming more important. Xeriscaped landscapes incorporate
drought-tolerant vegetation that thrives in warm, dry climates, such as
lavender, sage, wisteria and agave, with water-saving drip irrigation and
mulch. Xeriscaping has a cost savings of 36 cents per square foot annually
through reduced irrigation and maintenance costs.3 Additionally,
these landscapes are virtually maintenance free, which makes it an attractive
option for busy buyers.
Include trees and
shrubs to create texture and add interest to your landscape. Planting a few
types of trees and shrubs of varying heights, widths and flowering times boosts
your home’s curb appeal year-round.
4. Make it feel inviting.
It’s no secret that emotions play a role in a person’s
decision to purchase a home. Stage the outside of your home to evoke warm
feelings.
Stage your porch.
If you have a front porch, make it feel more inviting by including seating,
such as a chair or loveseat, an outdoor rug and a small table. If space is an
issue, incorporate small decorative touches, such as a festive wreath or potted
plant.
Hang flower boxes on
your front porch railings and/or below your windows. If you don’t want to
affix flower boxes to your home, purchase nice planters and containers and
place them around your porch or on your front steps.
Choose flowers and
plants that bloom at different times of the year for year-round appeal. For
example, bulbs not only bloom all spring, they also multiply and come up every
year. Perennials often flower for most of the year and will prevent you from
having to replant them every year.
If you don’t have a
green thumb, choose low maintenance plants and flowers. Flowers such as lavender, rosemary, and zinnias are a few
low-maintenance and drought-tolerant options.
5. Boost Your Online “Curb Appeal.”
For those interested in selling, it’s important to know the
effect online curb appeal has on a home. The better impression your home gives
online, the more likely buyers will want to see it in person. Here’s how to get
your home ready for its listing debut.
Stage your home. Staging
shows your home in its best light and helps potential buyers picture themselves
living there.
Hire a professional
to take photos. A photographer has the skills and equipment to shoot your
home in the best light and make it look its best.
Include a short video
tour of the home. Videos are becoming a popular way to give buyers a
glimpse of the home before they step foot in it.
Before you start a home project, keep
these four things in mind:
1. Why are you renovating? In other
words, is your intention to update your home and get it show-ready or do you
want to sell it for more money? Don’t fall into the trap of undertaking major renovations
that may not pay off when you sell. If your home is in good shape, a few
inexpensive updates may be enough to make your home attractive to buyers.
2. The style of the neighborhood.
Whenever you renovate your home, make sure the project fits with the style of
the neighborhood and rules of the homeowner association. For example, an HOA
may limit the choice and number of trees you can plant on your property.
Similarly, a tall hedge border may not fit in in a neighborhood of low, picket
fences.
3. Permits.
If you’re planning an extensive exterior renovation, you may need a permit
from your municipality or other authority.
4. Budget.
A budget keeps your project’s costs and scope in check. Make a list of the
improvements you’d like to make, set a realistic budget and stick to it. If
you’d like advice on improvements you can make to boost your home’s curb
appeal, give us a call.
Are you thinking of
boosting your home’s curb appeal or renovating your home before you list? Do
you want help making your home more appealing to potential buyers online and
in-person? Give us a call and we’ll help you present your home in its best
light.
Sources: 1.
Remodeling, 2016 Cost vs Value Report
2.
Realtor Mag, September 22, 2016
3.
REALTOR.com
4. Houzz, Houzz &
Home-U.S., June 2016
5. Houselogic.com
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