How can I Improve the Curb Appeal of my Home?

Home buyers often get their first impressions of a home from what they first see. In many cases, this is the outside view and the area around the front door. Real estate agents often talk about the importance of improving the curb appeal of homes as a way of optimizing that first impression. By making a few simple improvements, home sellers can help buyers get the best impression possible.

Some of the easiest ways to improve curb appeal include ensuring that simple upkeep has continued. A front yard with an overgrown lawn or dead plants suggests that the home inside might also be neglected. When a house is on the market, mowing the lawn regularly and ensuring that shrubs look well-manicured go a long way toward a favorable first impression. Plants can be pruned, replaced or otherwise cosmetically-improved to help give a better impression. An afternoon of fixing up the lawn and garden can do wonders for improving curb appeal.

In addition, the quality of the paint on the front of the house also gives an impression to home buyers, and fresh paint helps improve curb appeal. Chipped, peeling or otherwise deteriorating paint in the entryway suggests that the paint might also have problems inside. While some homes may require a fresh paint job, sometimes simply touching up the trim with a fresh coat of paint can make a huge difference in making the home appear newer or well-maintained.

Other small projects can also help improve the curb appeal of a home. Removing any stray weeds around the sidewalk or raking leaves on the lawn can help. Ensuring that the home is adequately lit, with all light bulbs working, is another. Anything that looks neglected, run-down or otherwise out of place should be looked at.

Improving curb appeal can also extend to just inside the front door, as buyers continue to form first impressions as they walk inside. Curb appeal can be improved by making this area as uncluttered and neat as possible. While the area need not be empty, removing unnecessary piles of mail or newspapers can make the entryway look neater and more attractive.

Curb appeal is important in putting a positive first impression in the mind of a prospective home buyer. By making a few quick fixes and performing regular upkeep on the home, a home's curb appeal can be improved substantially with minimal effort.