Do you want to create a welcoming first impression for potential buyers and increase the resale value of your home? You need to begin with the exterior. The best part is that improving curb appeal doesn’t necessarily mean you need to break the bank by investing in costly renovations and repairs. In fact, the general guideline is to aim to invest 10 percent of your home value into landscaping.
If you don’t have the budget, the trick is to enhance the appearance of your home through careful maintenance tasks and clever design choices.
Read on to learn about our top eight tips on how to improve the curb appeal of your home in Sarasota, FL!
1. Start With the Lawn
Living in any suburban community means that your front and back yard or going to be covered in a luscious green lawn. If your lawn isn’t so luscious, then we recommend focusing on this first.
If it’s early spring or fall, try preparing the lawn with fertilizers and replacing bald patches with new sod. Regardless of the season, watering your lawn liberally while it’s dying will help bring it back to life. You’ll also want to go in and kill any weeds that are competing for nutrients.
2. Remove Clutter
The moment your property gets a “for sale” sign and goes up on the MLS, people will be driving by in order to get a look at the exterior of your home before they reach out. For this reason, make sure you remove any clutter as soon as possible. This can be pet toys and children’s toys but also old cars that need to be towed, rusty furniture, trash cans, and broken decor.
3. Invest in Outdoor Lighting
Outdoor lighting can greatly improve the look of your home during the evening, and it doesn’t require a huge budget. There are a variety of outdoor lighting options that don’t even need complicated installation or setup. For instance, solar-powered lights that are staked into the ground can be great additions to light pathways and the edge of garden beds.
Porch string lights also create a cozy ambiance in a backyard entertaining space, but they can also create a welcoming sight above your front door.
4. Pressure Wash
Pressure washing homes is one detail that you can’t ignore. You can either hire a professional or rent a pressure washer at a local hardware store. Pressure washers are capable of making an old driveway look new again, and they’re also capable of removing dirt and grime from your home’s siding.
If you do it yourself, it’s important to keep in mind that in high settings, pressure washers are capable of chipping paint. You’ll want to start out slow and steady and remember that it may take a few days to complete the project if you want to pressure wash the entire house.
5. Start Pruning
Trees in front yards that have been allowed to grow out of control will look like headaches to potential buyers–especially if the branches are hanging above the roof. Speak to a local arborist and ensure that your trees are strong and hardy. You’ll also want to prune any overgrown plants such as bushes and vines.
This is especially important if plants are encroaching into pathways that lead up to the house. If buyers have to fight their way through a jungle in order to get to the front door, this could spoil their first impression of the rest of the home.
6. Paint the Front Door
Painting your front door will cost less than a hundred dollars, and it can greatly brighten up the appearance of your home. Try choosing a bold accent color that compliments the rest of the house. For instance, if your home is mainly a neutral color such as brown, tan, or white, you can easily get away with bolder colors for the front door.
Here are a few popular front door paint colors:
- Yellow
- Blue
- Red
- Aquamarine
- Green
If the rest of your home is a bolder color already, choose a front door color that matches the color temperature. For instance, a navy or light green door would match well with a home that’s painted light blue.
7. Improve the Hardscape
If you have more in your home remodel budget, it can be worth it to improve the hardscape of your front yard. The hardscape is any permanent element that is non-living. This includes pavers, fences, water features, statues, and more.
Since your home is going on the market, stick with simple elements that can make an impact. For instance, new pavers leading to the front door can make a big difference. You may also want to consider
8. Don’t Forget the Details
Regardless of your budget, don’t forget that planting flowers, adding small decor elements, and finding new home numbers can add up. All of those details together will make your home appear new and fresh. Bright perennial flowers grab the eye and can even make the pathway up to your front door smell amazing.
Start Improving Curb Appeal Today
Improving curb appeal of a home is a non-negotiable aspect of smart selling. You want to give both buyers and appraisers a positive impression of your property, and this all starts with a clean and welcoming front yard.
The best part is that if you’re on a tight budget, there are several ways you can improve the curb appeal without emptying your wallet.
Are you looking for landscapers in Sarasota that can take care of all the important details for you? We know how to enhance your outdoor living experience through comprehensive services.
Call us for a landscape design consultation today!