Are you a new homeowner looking to increase the curb appeal of your home? Or are you entering the housing market and trying to increase the value of your home?
Maybe you’re just in a friendly competition for the best-looking home in the neighborhood.
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then this article is for you. Completing some simple home upgrades can truly change the look of your home for the better and increase its value.
Make a Plan to Increase Your Curb Appeal
When you set out to increase cub appeal, you’ll want to determine what projects you absolutely need to do, what details are required for them, and what you’re willing to spend a little more money on.
After this, make a detailed plan. In this plan, make sure to include the estimated cost for each required item and a timeline for the project. This will help give you a better idea of what to expect throughout these renovations.
After determining your budget, if itseems like your renovations might cost more than anticipated, consider financing. A home equity line of credit (HELOC) is a helpful solution to financing any home improvement project. This type of loan lets you borrow cash against the value of your home, acting as a credit card of sorts.
In your project timeline, be sure to also include a list of all scheduled deliveries. A project timeline should include the planning period, cleaning period, and the expected timeline for each project you’re looking to complete.
Along with this, it’s best practice to create a contact sheet with the information of all of the contractors you may be working with, supply companies, and other important information. If you aren’t planning on hiring out, start researching tutorials on any DIY projects and account for this in your timeline.
Spruce Up Your Landscaping
It’s no surprise that landscaping might be one of the more complicated home improvements in this article.
But sprucing it up with new plants, fresh mulch or rocks, or power-washing any existing brick or stones can easily increase your curb appeal. Not to mention, it’ll also increase the value of your home.
Maintaining your lawn is the very first step to having great landscaping and really sets the foundation for an increased curb appeal. Planting grass seed in bare spots, frequent watering, mowing at the right time and height, and controlling weeds are just a few tips to having the best lawn in your neighborhood.
After you determine the best schedule to maintain your lawn, it’s time to work on your landscaping. Nearly every expert recommends adding trees to your front landscaping or along the sides of your driveway if you have a long driveway. According to the Arbor Day Foundation, trees can increase the value of your home by three to fifteen percent.
Upgrade Your Driveway To Increase Curb Appeal
While this is a pretty expensive project, it’s bound to improve the look of your home and increase the value tremendously. Whether you have a gravel driveway or a paved driveway that needs to be resealed, this is something you should consider completing – especially if you’re going to list your home soon.
Upgrading your driveway can include paving it, repaving it if it’s older than twenty-five years or has major cracks/damages to it, or just resealing it. Aside from the driveway specifically, you could add a sidewalk to your front door or add more room for parking in your driveway.
Make Your House Numbers Stand out
Upgrading the display of your address is a simple improvement that is often overlooked. There are many different things that you could do to personalize your house number display. Some stand-out upgrades to consider are adding LED lights behind the numbers, changing the numbers to a more modern style, or hanging moss-covered letters.
When putting up house numbers, it’s best to have a light shining on them, or behind them, to help their visibility. It’s also best to have them near the front door and at eye level, so people can see them from the road. If you’re not a DIY-kind-of-person, consider buying something from a small business, whether locally or online!
Switching Out Your Front Door Can Drastically Increase Curb Appeal
There are many ways to upgrade your front door to increase the curb appeal of your home. Depending on your budget, it could be as simple as giving it a fresh coat of paint. But it could also be as complex as swapping out your front door for a modern one or even enlarging the front door space to french doors.
Deciding what to do with your front door entirely depends on your budget and the size of your home. If you have a larger home (and a larger budget), consider enlarging the front door space to accommodate french doors! After that’s done, you’ll want to make sure your new door enhances the rest of your home’s exterior.
Enhance Your Porch
If you’re looking to create a warm and inviting porch, think about tearing down the old one and building an entirely new one. This can give you a fresh canvas to do whatever you want! If that seems like too big of a project then adding a fresh coat of paint or stain can make the porch look great!
Don’t forget furniture, as well. Adding brand new furniture and a swinging couch can make your front porch the perfect place to sit and drink coffee or read a book. To make it the perfect, all-season room, consider insulating the space and adding ceiling fans and heating. Some other ways that you can make the porch a warm and inviting space is by adding ambient lighting, a rug, and some plants!
Conclusion
Increasing the curb appeal of your home is no easy task. In fact, it might be one of the larger home improvement projects that you do. But don’t let the size of the project or cost deter you. Budget your money and make a plan! Organizing your thoughts and ideas into a detailed plan can help you keep your timeline on track and lower the chance of delays. You’re bound to have the best-looking house in the neighborhood in no time.
Other Massachusetts Real Estate Resources:
- As the market slows down, more and more homebuyers will be considering home inspections. Kyle Hiscock shares what types of home inspections you should consider. Besides a general home inspection, you may want to consider lead pain inspections, radon inspections and more….
- Thinking of buying a home? Start off by reading Paul Sian’s smart tips for buying a home. The first tip is to start off by understanding your budget and exactly what a mortgage will cost you.
- Is paying cash always the way to go when buying a house? Bill Gassett says it’s very personal if you want to pay cash or get a mortgage for a home. Get some insights on why you may want to pay cash.
6 Ways to Increase Your Curb Appeal is provided by Kevin Vitali of EXIT Realty. If you would like to sell or buy a home, give me a call at 978-360-0422 and let’s get the process started.
I provide Real Estate Services in the following areas: Northeast Massachusetts, Merrimack Valley, North Shore and Metrowest. Including the following communities and the surrounding areas- Amesbury, Andover, Billerica, Burlington, Chelmsford, Dracut, Groveland, Haverhill, Lowell, Melrose, Merrimac, Methuen, Middleton, North Andover, North Reading, Reading, Stoneham, Tewksbury, Tyngsborough, Wakefield, Wilmington, Westford
