Need to give your property a facelift? Here are a few of our favourite tips and tricks to catch a buyer’s eye.
- Paint your front door. Painting your front door can add some brightness and revive the look of your entry. Pick a bold colour that stands out, but make sure it coordinates with the other colours on your house
- Add window boxes. If your house is lacking colour, try adding window boxes. Install them on the front porch railings as well as below the windows. Window boxes are relatively cheap, or you can DIY them in an afternoon. The flowers and soil may actually cost you more than the box, and remember, you have to maintain the flowers to actually add curb appeal.
- Clean and pressure wash! Give your home’s exterior surface a good spit-shine and polish to make it look fresh and well cared for. Rent a pressure washer and clean the driveway, walkways, fences, gutters, siding, and whatever else looks grungy—you can even wash your patio furniture.
- Illuminate your garden and pathways. Great curb appeal doesn’t go away at night, so make sure your landscape lighting highlights your home’s best features. Plus, good landscape lighting increases your safety and security. Illuminating a walkway with stake lights is probably the easiest lighting to install. Low-voltage lighting and solar stakes (aka spikes) are available in a variety of styles and price ranges.
- Clean the roof and repair the gutters. A roof covered in moss and debris or dirty, unaligned gutters can spoil your curb appeal and cause costly damage. Moss, algae, and fungus all hold water, so if left on the roof for long periods, they will leave stains and can cause the shingles and wood beneath them to deteriorate and rot. It’s best to get up there at least once a year and clean your roof. If you’re not comfortable getting up on the roof, hire a pro. It’ll cost more than our $100 threshold, but if you have them do an inspection while there up there, it’ll be worth the extra money. The earlier you find out about a damaged roof, the better.
- Add planters! Use planted containers to create instant curb appeal on a budget. Turn your home’s entry into an inviting focal point by adding a few well-chosen and nicely arranged plants on the front porch. Vary the plant and container sizes, and arrange them on multiple levels.
Follow our tips and tricks to improve your curb appeal, and your house will be sold in no time!