Improve Your Curb Appeal

One of the most important parts of selling your home is how it looks from the street.  We are always told to never judge a book by it's cover, but the fact remains that most people do, and in the case of increased showings on your home, curb appeal is the front cover of your home that will either perk the interest of a buyer or have them saying, "forget it."

Here are a five inexpensive tips to improve your home's curb appeal.

1) The front door:  This door can work wonders in attracting the attention of a potential buyer.  By adding an eye popping colour to a front door it will create some excitement and it can lift your overall exterior colour scheme to new heights.  Consult with a colour expert for some ideas on what colours will work for your home.

2)  Porch and front steps: If you have older concrete steps or a flagstone walkway consider some paint to breath new life into the appearance.  Most home improvement stores carry paints and stains specifically made for concrete. If your porch and front steps are wood, invest in the stain or paint needed to make them look inviting.  If you have a brick or stone entry, hose it down or power wash for a quick improvement.

3) The sidewalk: Naturally a new sidewalk of stone, or brick will totally enhance your curb appeal, but here's a simple solution to make your walkway much more inviting with little or no cost.  Eliminate all signs of grass or weeds that might be growing through cracks in the walkway.  Edge the side of the walkway to cut back the lawn or consider adding a small flower bed along the side of the walkway to enhance the framing of the walkway. Edging the walkway won't cost you a dime and even a small flower bed along both sides of a walkway with a few flowers is relatively inexpensive, but works wonders. 

4) Accessories:  The little extras around your front door such as new or freshly painted numbers for the home, a new or freshly painted light fixture and mailbox, a welcome mat at the front door and perhaps a potted flower arrangement all add to the curb appeal and that first impression as a buyer comes to your door.

5) The lawn:  It's great if your lawn could win an award, but the most important things to remember include keeping the lawn cut, trimmed, and to weed your flower beds.  If you normally cut your lawn once per week, change your schedule while your home is listed to once every five days to ensure it always looks neat and tidy.