Curb appeal is always critical when it comes to attracting potential homebuyers. While Spring is typically the most popular time to sell a house, there are some tricks you can use to raise your home’s curb appeal year round. As an added bonus, any improvements also will likely boost your property’s appraisal value, too!
You might think you don’t have time to keep up your home’s exterior the way you would like, but with a few solid strategies, that can change. Today, real estate pro Leopoldine Farrington shares some tips to improve your home’s curb appeal, regardless of the season.
Invest in a Gardening Service
When you are selling your house, you want your lawn and garden to stand out. Although you can do much of the work yourself, hiring a pro may be the way to go. A landscape professional, for example, knows how to take the focus off the lawn itself by adding small evergreen trees or colorful potted plants and shrubs near your entry. What’s more, they can prune bushes and keep your lawn clear of fallen leaves in the autumn. They can enhance the landscaping with colored gravel or pine cone mulch to brighten up your plant beds and deter weeds in the wintertime.
Brighten Things Up
During the spring months, your yard can look pretty bleak as the grass begins to grow and fill in, so think about other things you can do to brighten things up. If your trees are void of leaves, add some simple string lights. White lights look great, and they’re not just for Christmas. HomeLight suggests adding lights to your trees and bushes, as well as around your porch. Also consider adding path lights or lanterns to illuminate the way to your door.
Put the Emphasis on Your Front Door
If your front door and porch are in disrepair, it can make potential buyers turn on their heels and walk away. If things look shoddy or tired, it’s important to freshen things up. Start by replacing any damaged siding, repainting trim, and, as the Toronto Star explains, updating your house numbers.
Then, give your front door a fresh coat of paint. Pick a color that is universally appealing, but will make your house stand out from the rest on the street. Deep red, forest green, and mustard yellow are all terrific choices.
Other Outdoor Makeovers
When potential buyers pull up to your property, the first thing they may see is your mailbox. If your mailbox is rusty and old, you may need to buy a new one. For a quick makeover, Krylon suggests painting your existing metal mailbox with brightly colored spray paint, or creating a visually impressive look by encasing it in brick or stone. Also take a close look at your walkways and driveway. Cracks or potholes should be fixed, and can be addressed relatively inexpensively with patching mix.
While fewer people may be looking for homes during certain times of the year, the market never completely dries up. People often use year-end bonuses to put a down payment on a new home, transfers happen, and generally only serious buyers are out and about. So make sure your home is ready to sell and your curb appeal is the best it can be. Then, once you’re ready to list, reach out to Leopoldine Farrington for help selling: 443-440-5758.
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