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First impressions matter, so you want your home’s curb appeal to be bright and fresh even as autumn leaves give way to winter. With the following tips, you’ll ensure that your yard and porch are warm and inviting to potential buyers, no matter the season.
Use containers
Even as the green days of summer die down and the leaves fall from the trees, bright flowers in decorative pots add a splash of fun and life to porches and walkways. Use containers for colorful annuals, herbs and cold-sensitive plants that need to be taken inside to survive the winter.
You can give windows an instant upgrade with window boxes, transform your front entry with a brilliant plant and fill in sparse areas in beds without having to dig. One of the best things about using containers is how easy it is to trade out fading plants for fresh ones — this way you’ll never have to look at a garden without blooms.
Make an entrance
One of the easiest ways to increase your curb appeal is by freshening up the front door. A quick coat of paint and a snazzy new doorknob can make your home look like new. Use a paint color that sets off the rest of your home and creates interest. For extra punch, add a decorative knocker or tasteful wreath. Complete the look with a colorful welcome mat to pull it all together.
Keep it clean
You don’t have to invest a lot in plants to keep your home and yard looking ship-shape. Regularly sweep, shake out rugs and welcome mats, and keep entryways, awnings and pillars free of leaves, cobwebs and dirt. Keep outdoor furniture looking fresh with a weekly wipe down and maybe add some colorful cushions (you can repurpose old ones from inside).
Light it up
Use solar lights to illuminate walkways, spotlight water features or trees and add interest to flower beds. Solar lights are relatively inexpensive and require zero maintenance. Opt for one uniform style of lights and don’t overdo it.
Decide which elements you want to highlight and keep it simple. Either line a walkway or add whimsy to the flower bed, but don’t do both. Resist the urge to add multiple solar features to the garden, walkway, porch and beds. Too many different lights will look more like clutter than intentional decor.
Upgrade your digits
Something as seemingly insignificant as house numbers can make a big design statement. Replace faded or broken numbers with stylish digits that give your home an added dose of character. For the truly creative, consider incorporating your house number into your container garden. Painted pots draw attention to your house number and highlight your green thumb. You could also affix numbers to an outdoor lantern, a planting post, or paint them on the stairs.
Give old furniture a new look
You don’t have to invest in new patio furniture to make a good impression. A fresh coat of paint does wonders for older furniture — and it works for rattan, metal, wood and wicker. Use colors that are inviting and add lots of bright pillows and cushions. Make things extra-inviting by incorporating an end table or converting a rustic crate to hold drinks, books or a fresh bouquet from the garden.
Give the garage a facelift
Upgrade the whole look of your home by showing the garage a little love. In addition to updating stain or paint, a few extra touches like painted-on windows and iron hardware make your garage door stand out from all the identical garage doors on your block.
When selling your home, you need every advantage available. Fortunately, awesome curb appeal is something you can easily control — and with ideas like these, your house will look amazing without breaking the bank.
Now that you’ve got your home looking great and ready to sell, it’s time to partner with Homie. Homie will help you get professional pictures of your home, provide you with a value report to help you decide the right price at which to list your home, help you advertise your home on all the top sites and help you with the paperwork and negotiations when you start to receive offers. Homie will literally save you thousands of dollars (average of $10,000) compared to using a traditional agent. Learn more about selling with Homie.
