Boost Your ROI: Transform Your Curb Appeal Today!
Curb appeal boosts your home’s visual intrigue and value. If you’re planning to sell, you absolutely need to have a “wow” factor that entices buyers from the minute they lay eyes on your property. According to a study by the University of Texas at Arlington, curb appeal can affect a home’s value by up to 7%! So, before you go all-in on expensive interior upgrades, you may want to pay attention to the outside of your home.
Although having a welcoming, functional living space is important, your home’s exterior is a valuable part of your property that easily boost its value and your future return on investment.
Invest in Landscaping
Beautifully landscaped homes are eye-catching, inviting and a great way to boost your property value. Landscaping can increase a home’s value by as much as 20%, ultimately making it one of the best investments for your exterior.
When it comes to curb appeal, you can’t go wrong planting trees, shrubbery and fresh flowers. You don’t have to go overboard, either. Simple, timeless plants will elevate your home’s front yard and create a welcoming entrance.
Freshen Up Exterior Paint
Exterior paint can work wonders on a home, especially if yours has seen a lot of wear and tear over the years. You should always check with your HOA first to make sure that you are painting an approved color. Once you know what your options are, you can find a professional painter to redo the exterior. You may consider going from a darker color to something lighter, or creating a more sleek, streamlined appearance on a vintage home.
Depending on your home and location, exterior paint can boost your ROI from 50% to 150%. The difference fresh paint makes isn’t just aesthetic, either; new paint can offer greater protection against sun and water damage.
Upgrade Entry Features
Your entryway has a large influence on the expectations people will have coming indoors. More importantly, exterior entrance features help establish impactful first impressions.
Pay attention to elements like your walkway, driveway, steps, front door and porch light. These seemingly everyday features can be spruced up to enhance your exterior.
For example, power washing your walkways, sidewalk and driveway can instantly make your home appear fresher and more modern. Meanwhile, painting the front door in a fresh, exciting color can make your home instantly more appealing.
Think About Hardware
Doorknobs, stair railings, porch banisters and even number signs can have a striking effect on your exterior’s image. Think about whether you could make some small upgrades and simple swaps to dramatically enhance and modernize your exterior. Even a subtle change can ultimately help maximize your ROI.
Add Lighting
Outdoor lighting is often (regretfully) overlooked. Enchanting entryways, warm porch lights and garden lighting can elevate an exterior and make it not only more appealing but safer, too. Adding lights to your front yard is relatively inexpensive and an easy DIY job in most cases, since plenty of them are battery-operated and use long-lasting LED bulbs.
Conclusion
When it comes to boosting curb appeal, start small and work your way up. Big changes, like a new house color, can have a major impact, but you can achieve the same ROI by making smaller, strategic improvements to your landscaping and outdoor staging.
