6 Affordable Ways to Boost your Home’s Curb Appeal

When buyers come to see your home, the first thing they notice is how your
property looks from the curb. That first impression is powerful and lingering. If buyers don’t like what they see, it can influence how they judge the rest of
your property, regardless of how great it looks on the inside.
You definitely want to do whatever you can to boost curb appeal.

Here are six affordable ideas to consider:

1. Driveway sealing. This makes the pavement look darker and less
faded. It also helps cover up some of the cracks. Sealing won’t give
you the “brand new” look of repaving, but it’s close — and significantly
less expensive.

2. Exterior window washing. Washing the front windows makes them
look clean and bright. In fact, the effect can be stunning. There are
window washing products that connect to your hose to make this job
easier. Check your home improvement retailer.

3. Maintaining shrubs, hedges and flower beds. Trimming the hedges,
shrubs and other evergreens can make a big difference in how your
property looks from the street. It’s like giving them all a haircut!
Flowering plants can also brighten up the look.

4. Front door painting. From the curb, a buyer’s eye is naturally drawn
to your front door. If your entry system looks old and worn, consider a
fresh coat of paint. It can make the entrance look almost new.

5. Garage door painting. This is a bigger project that can take a day or
two, but the effort might be worth it. For many homes, the garage door
is the biggest item in the curb appeal panorama. Making it look better
will have a big impact.

6. Removing unsightly items. Look at your home from the street. Are
there items in your field of vision that take away from the curb appeal?
For example, are there garbage cans and other items stowed along the
side of the property and visible from the road? If so, move them.