When you know you want to sell your home, one of the things you’ll want to do is increase your home’s curb appeal. That first impression is absolutely critical when someone pulls up at a property they might invest in.
Curb appeal can have a large impact on how quickly your home sells and how much it sells for. The first impression buyers get of your home will weigh heavily on their ultimate decision. It could be love at first sight or an instant no.
There are a lot of ways to improve curb appeal. You could look at the roof, fix up the driveway, clean up your landscaping, or repaint the fence.
These are just a couple ideas. Keep reading to find seven ways to improve curb appeal before selling your home.
1. Repair or Replace the Roof
The roof is one of the first things potential buyers will see when they arrive at your home. That makes it one of the most important opportunities for you in terms of ways to improve curb appeal.
An old and dirty roof can color a buyer’s entire perception of the home. Even if the interior is beautiful, that first impression can linger in someone’s mind for a long time.
If you have been putting off certain roofing services, now is the time to invest in them. Roofs last a long time, but that doesn’t mean they never need repairs, cleaning, and replacements. You might just have a few broken shingles or it might be time for a complete replacement.
If the latter is true for you, there are many interesting options available these days. Some people are doing “green roofs” that actually have grass and plants on them to absorb sunlight. Other people have opted for metal roofs, which have an average lifespan of 40 to 70 years. That basically ensures you’ll have your roof the entire time you live in your home.
This is not just one of the best ways to improve curb appeal, it can also be a selling point that you share with real estate agents. If you recently replaced or repaired the roof, you can share that information. You put in the time and money – make sure buyers know it.
However, it is often the case that you don’t need to completely replace the roof and just need to do some roof repair instead. This can still be a selling point and one of the best ways to improve curb appeal.
Before buyers show up to look at your home, make sure the roof is clean and any damage you can find is repaired. Even some light fixing up here can go a long way toward making that crucial first impression as positive as possible.
2. Don’t Forget About the Gutters
Speaking of the roof – don’t overlook the gutters. The gutters are also part of the roof and it’s very easy for them to get damaged or dirty.
Cleaning out gutters is not a fun task, but it is worthwhile if you are looking for ways to improve curb appeal. Clogged gutters are not only unappealing, but they can also cause damage to your home.
Imagine pulling up to a house that looked great on paper and seeing a gutter overflowing with leaves and debris, or maybe even one that is broken and hanging. This would be a significant strike against the home, no matter how beautiful the rest of was. That’s why taking care of the gutters is so crucial in terms of ways to improve curb appeal.
If your gutters have some serious issues, you can invest in gutter repair to get them fixed or replaced. It is definitely worth the time and money before you start showing your home.
3. Redo the Driveway
Speaking of first impressions, one of the first things people will notice about your home is the driveway. It is absolutely critical your driveway is in good repair.
Place yourself in the buyer’s shoes for a moment. You pull up to a beautiful home you are excited to see and suddenly hit a big pothole right there in the driveway. Immediately, you go from excited to suspicious. What else might be damaged? If the driveway is in such poor repair, what else isn’t being maintained at this property?
The driveway is easy to overlook for homeowners and home buyers alike. However, it will leave a mark if it is in a damaged state. Don’t neglect this area while thinking of ways to improve curb appeal.
If your driveway is damaged and cracked, you may want to invest in asphalt repair services to get those problems patched up. This is critical to the buyer’s first impression so it is definitely worth the cost.
While it is easy to ignore the driveway, it is also an opportunity to surprise a buyer. A beautiful new driveway can be one of the best ways to improve curb appeal. Think of it as basically rolling out the red carpet for this person who has come to look at your home. An ordinary driveway may be unremarkable, but a particularly beautiful one is sure to leave a lasting positive impression.
4. Spruce Up the Garage
While you’re in this area of the home, why not spruce up your garage? You may have used your garage simply for storage while you lived at your home, but potential buyers could have other plans. Garages can be great places to work or build a home gym, for example.
Even if a buyer has no grand schemes for the garage, it still presents an opportunity to make a good first impression. A cluttered garage that clearly hasn’t been cared for can make buyers think that perhaps the rest of the home has also been neglected. That’s not the type of impression you want to give someone who just arrived to check out your house.
One of the best things you can do for your garage is simply clean it up. If you were using it for storage while you lived there, clear out as many of your belongings as you can. Sweep the floors, add a fresh coat of paint to the garage door and finally knock down those cobwebs. These small steps can result in a big impact.
If you have cracks and damage in your garage floor, now may be the time to consider patching those things up as well. You can hire residential concrete contractors to help fix those little issues and make your garage look like it’s brand new.
5. Don’t Forget the Windows
There is one interior surface that you should consider while thinking about ways to improve curb appeal. That is your windows.
Even while pulling up the driveway and glancing at the roof, your windows will be visible. Buyers will notice how many there are, where they’re located, and how clean they look. While you can’t control all of that, you can give your windows a decent cleaning.
You can also invest in shades and curtains that make your windows more appealing. You might even want to get new window coverings that are specifically appealing from the exterior of your home. Take a walk around the house and notice the windows. Try to think like a buyer and see how the windows look from the outside.
This is one of the best ways to improve your curb appeal because it is so simple and inexpensive compared to things like repairing a roof or fixing a driveway. Despite that, it has the potential to leave a huge impact on potential buyers. You can set the mood for your whole house just by fixing up window coverings.
6. Freshen Up Your Fence
You also shouldn’t overlook your fence while searching for ways to improve curb appeal. Wood fences are charming, but they get damaged and faded over time. Take the time to just walk along your fence and inspect it for damage before buyers do.
This does not need to be an expensive upgrade. A simple coat of paint can go a long, long way in terms of making your fence look fresh and clean. That isn’t mere vanity, either. Fresh paint can also re-seal the fence, protecting it from moisture and harsh weather.
If you do need to replace part or all of your fence, think of this as one of the ways to improve curb appeal for buyers. It can be expensive, but you can also advertise that to buyers, mentioning the brand new fence. All fences need to be replaced eventually, so telling a buyer your fence just recently went through that process can be a major selling point.
The situation may also not be as dire as it seems at first. Talk to residential fencing contractors or experts to see if you need to completely replace the fence or can instead just repair areas that are broken. You may also find other options that save you the cost, time, and expense of completely removing and replacing the existing fence.
7. Invest in Solar Panels
Here is a fancier one. You should of course do all the normal maintenance and repair work around the home, from the fences to the windows to the garage. However, upgrades can also be great ways to improve curb appeal for potential buyers.
That includes something like solar panels.
These days, more and more people are investing in residential solar panels. These are not only environmentally friendly, but they can save home owners a ton of money on things like heating bills and electricity costs.
Solar panels do come at a steep initial investment, but they tend to pay for themselves over time. As the current home owner, you might not see that return on investment, but potential buyers know that they will and that can be a major selling point.
Even if you only install a few solar panels, be sure to mention that to real estate agents and list it among your home’s features. It not only is a great selling point, but also a unique one. While solar panels are becoming more commonplace, it would still set you apart if you could boast that your home has solar panels.
These days, solar panels aren’t only for the home’s roof, either. Some people put them on places like the garage’s roof. Anywhere where they can get some good sunlight and store up energy can be a good location. Talk to a contractor if you aren’t quite sure where or how solar panels would fit in with your home.
Keep Your Goal in Mind
While thinking about all these ways to improve curb appeal before selling your home, you should keep your goal in mind. You are selling property, in the end, and that comes with some costs and challenges.
Improvements and upgrades shouldn’t break your budget. You still want to make a profit at the end of this if you can. Even if you just want to sell your home so you can move, you still want to get the most you can for your property. It is one of your most valuable assets.
Take some of these ideas for ways to improve curb appeal and then think about how they apply to your specific situation, circumstances, needs, and budget. Those factors can change a lot. For example, you might already have solar panels but didn’t think to list them as a feature. Or you might have no garage but be able to invest more heavily in repaving the driveway.
Ultimately, all of these improvements have to fit into your lifestyle. Even though you are leaving this home behind, it is still part of your life until it is really sold. If solar panels aren’t right for you, don’t make a big investment like that just for the sake of investing.
Likewise, there could be many ways to improve curb appeal for your particular home that doesn’t fit on a general advice list. It’s always a good idea to take a step back from your property and try to view it from a buyer’s eyes to see what is appealing, what isn’t, and what can be improved.
