Curb appeal pertains to a home’s attractiveness when viewed from the outside. Real estate agents consider a home’s curb appeal, especially when putting up a house for sale. Curb appeal lures viewers and invites them to view the house when they see that the physical assets are well-kept. On top of keeping the house facade and front view attractive, curb appeal also increases the home’s value. So if you’re looking to sell homes fast, here are 10 simple ways to attract potential homeowners instantly.
Why is Curb Appeal Important?
Curb appeal is essential in real estate as it sets the expectations for willing buyers. When they see a beautiful house, they will likely contact the agent for viewing to have a peek inside. Although curb appeal refers to external aesthetics, it’s also crucial to beautify the house’s interior design.
You must let potential buyers envision themselves living in your property by properly “staging” the home. Staging means preparing the home for potential buyers who want to view it. So on top of fixing and touching up the house’s facade, it’s also recommended to do minor fixes, painting, and decoration.
For instance, keep every room clutter-free while arranging furniture like sofas, coffee tables, beds, or dressers in a functional and visually appealing way. Hire a professional interior designer or stager to ensure every detail is staging-ready.
10 Tips to Increase a Home’s Curb Appeal for Potential Buyers
Here are 10 simple ways and techniques to ensure the exterior looks as good as the interior:
1. Display well-kempt greenery
A house’s landscaping is one of the first things potential buyers notice. Outdated or old grass could mean old patches, overgrown bushes, or burnt grass. Plant seeds a few weeks before and water them, or consider artificial grass or sod. You must also trim bushes that are an eyesore and arrange beautiful and colorful foliage around the house’s facade.
2. Make your front door stand out
A home’s front door steals passersby’s attention. One way to make it stand out even more is to paint the front door with a bright color contrasting the house’s paint. Grabbing a jar of paint also suffices and doesn’t cost much. Before choosing the color, make sure it also complements the entire wall.
If the house is old, the paint might also be outdated. Although painting the entire house, including the exterior walls, is expensive, this will do you good when selling the property as it increases its value. Work with a professional interior designer to select the correct color palette that weaves into the interior design.
4. Clear the pathway
Clearing the path from the street to the main door also helps in letting potential buyers envision coming home and entering the house. Design a clear walkway by building one from bricks or stones. If these options aren’t available, you can display short bushes or potted plants along a path on the grass and use string lights to illuminate it at night.
5. Display good lighting
Lighting is essential for curb appeal because no one wants a gloomy walkway and entrance. You can decorate string lights along the walkway or a captivating lantern on the porch or front door. Lighting makes the house brighter and cozier. And this also goes for the inside of the house.
6. Clean debris from roofs and gutters
Maintaining the roof is expensive, but it instantly transforms an old house into a modern one. Clear branches stuck on the roof and clean accumulated algae as well. If your home for sale has a sagging roof, fix it or replace it. Also, clean debris from gutters and scrub them until they look spic and span.
7. Create an inviting outdoor space
If the house has a porch or patio, transform it into an inviting space where buyers can see themselves hanging out with their loved ones. Remove outdated outdoor furniture and replace it with modern rattan or wooden chairs with a beautiful outdoor coffee table. Display tall potted plants and accentuate the furniture arrangement with lovely throw pillows to make the space cozy.
8. Conceal electrical fixtures
Haphazard electrical wiring and fixtures can turn buyers off and gravely decrease the home’s curb appeal. Make sure you conceal these by painting them the same color as their surroundings. Ensure the wires aren’t entangled and are well-kempt by binding power cords with cable or tubing ties. You may use plastic zip ties to bind cords and attach them to furniture legs. Or you may grab a decorative basket and put the cords inside, keeping them out of sight.
9. Showoff a stylish mailbox
An old and rusty mailbox on a wooden post may shoo away potential buyers because it speaks a lot about how previous homeowners show attention to detail. Replace the old mailbox with a fresh and stylish one. Doing this is inexpensive yet dramatically impacts the house’s curb appeal.
10. Do minor touch-ups and fixes
One crucial thing to do before putting a house for sale is to go around the house and check for minor touch-ups or fixes. For instance, touching up chipped paint or replacing burned-out lightbulbs is worth doing. Also, ripped screens are a major turn-off, so ensure you replace them or at least make them look good as new.
Conclusion
Increasing the property’s curb appeal doesn’t take a rocket scientist, although it might need the expert eyes of interior designers. Stage a home where potential buyers can see themselves living comfortably and stylishly. Do these 10 tips, and you’d be surprised how quickly you can snatch that sale.
