When it comes time to sell a home, the predicament people usually run into is how to make an older home appealing while keeping improvements cost-effective. The point of selling your house is to make money, so overspending on expensive and unnecessary upgrades is not efficient.
Carefully choose which expensive renovations you should make and where you can save. Here are six ways you can increase your home’s curb appeal that will keep money in your pockets while getting buyers on the line.
Hose It Down
Before you repaint the exterior of your house, have it pressure washed. Dirt makes your paint look dull and faded. Washing it off might be all it takes to make it look brand new again. Washing your house is a good step in preparation even if you end up repainting it.
Repaint the Exterior
If your house is older, the style is most likely outdated. Adding a new coat of paint is a great way to spruce it up. It will also capture a style you are trying to emphasize. Let’s say you have an older home ... rather than spending a lot on remodeling attempting to fit in with newer trends, you could choose to play up the vintage look. In this scenario, repainting the exterior is a good way to use newer colours to give your home a fresh vintage appeal.
Updating the Windows
Windows are frequently mentioned as one of the first things people notice while house hunting. Windows give your home character. They can make it seem warm and inviting, open and friendly, or more reserved and mysterious. They also usually add visual balance and perspective to the other elements of your house.
Windows frame the front door. Long narrow windows on either side of the entrance to your home can make your door appear bigger making your entire house seem bigger. Adding a round-arched or square horizontal window above the door can do the same trick. Some people choose to add all three.
Bay windows can make the inside of your house seem larger from the front and draw interest from onlookers or prospective buyers. Updating your windows is a great way to quickly boost your curb appeal. Dated windows are a tell-tale sign of an old house.
Updating Your Front Door
Anything you can do to update the look of your front door will boost its appeal. Along with windows, this is another thing buyer’s mention noticing first. The door is the central focal point from the front of your house. It is the first impression people have of the inside of your home as they enter.
Make your front door more inviting by giving it a fresh coat of paint, adding a shiny new door knocker, or replacing the door completely. There are many different styles of doors other than wood. If you opt to change the colour, the door, or add elements, match them to the style of the rest of your house. A modern door on a vintage home will appear strange.
A new, high-quality door can also add security. It’s important that you consider the function of the improvements you make to your house because your buyer’s will consider this more than cosmetic appeal once they decide to take a look.
Landscaping
Your yard is a good indicator of how well you maintain your house. Even if you neglect your yard and are a great housekeeper, buyers will link these two things as one and the same. If nothing else, mow your lawn, weed the gardens, and prune the bushes.
If you have dry patches of grass, attempt to have these blemishes fixed. Add potted plants and flowers to the gardens and the porch. The more lively and well-maintained your yard appears, the more appealing your entire home will be. Buyers don’t like to imagine labouring in the yard of their new home or taking on a costly job to fix it up.
Good landscaping is the initial thing that makes drivers stop to look closer. Draw them in with a beautiful yard.
Add a Fence or Walkway
Framing your yard and house with a fence can add a lot of appeal to your home. People with young children and dogs might like the added security benefit of letting their kids play in the yard free from worry. Consider the demographic you are selling to and if adding a fence is something that would boost your home’s appeal.
Fences and walkways are another visual cue. These elements can either help you or hurt you, make sure to consider your front yard before choosing this as an option. If you have a large yard and consider it one of your home’s best attributes, fences and walkways will accentuate this.
Walkways give visual depth, emphasizing the space of the area. They also welcome onlookers to come in, giving your house a very warm and inviting feel. This can be an expensive renovation, but with the right house, it can make all the difference.
Choose what improvements are best for your needs and budget. Implement these and your house will fly of the market—hopefully you will still want to let it go.