When visitors and family come to our Waterloo Region homes, we all want them to feel welcome. When you're ready to sell, you'll also want your home's exterior to look its best, no matter what season it is.
These budget-friendly curb appeal ideas will keep your home's exterior looking beautiful, whether you plan on staying in it for a few more years or selling it because you want to move. Better yet, you can complete them in just a few hours.
The best part is that most of these curb appeal ideas are simple projects that can be completed for under $150, depending on the brands you purchase. While Waterloo Region homesellers are usually aware of the fact they will probably need to upgrade certain things about their home to make it more appealing, they (understandably) don't want to invest too much money (or time) if they don't have to!
Improvements like these will help make your home look stunning from the outside, increasing its curb appeal – and potential home value – when you decide to sell it in the competitive Waterloo Region housing market.
Upgrade Your Outdoor Lighting
One of the simplest ways to brighten and update the exterior of your home is to use outdoor lighting. Most homeowners avoid projects that require electrical work, but if you're up to it, adding outdoor lighting is simple, especially if you're familiar with standard safety precautions. Consider hiring an electrician to assist you if you are not comfortable with this type of work.
Choose an outdoor lighting fixture that complements your home's style and décor – there are a variety of stores that sell attractive fixtures for under $30. Turn off the power, connect the new fixture, and wait to be wowed by this curb appeal idea once the power is turned back on.
Another alternative is to nix the electricity altogether and go for solar exterior lighting. This not only offers savings in terms of ongoing energy use and initial installation but also allows you to illuminate areas that may have been hard to reach with conventional lighting, such as the end of a long driveway. This is likely to appeal to potential homebuyers from both an aesthetic and a safety point of view.
Refresh Your Front Door
If you've always had a front door that blends in with the rest of your house, it can be intimidating to take the next step and paint it a different colour. A bold, bright front door, on the other hand, makes your house stand out and adds a warm, inviting feel—an exterior paint gallon costs around $30. It's a small amount of effort for a big difference in the character - and curb appeal - of your home.
While you have your front door and the entrance to your home at the forefront of your mind you should also check your outdoor hardware. Do your doorknobs, doorbells, or door knockers, and house numbers have a couple of decades wear on them? You can refresh and express your home's personality and style with small, relatively inexpensive details like hardware.
Add Some Pretty Plants
Flowers add a warm touch to any environment. Flowers and plants, whether placed next to your front door, on the front porch, under a window, or along your walkway, add a splash of color and design.
Choose flower pots or window boxes that reflect your personality and style – contrasting colors work well here as well. Plant brightly colored annuals for added curb appeal and to entice passers-by to look closer.
To ensure that your home has winter floral curb appeal choose plants that can still thrive in our less than forgiving Ontario winters. Winterberries, Winter Jasmine and snowdrops are all choices that will thrive in the winter and are usually not hard to find at the garden centre.
Wash the Exterior of Your Home, Including the Windows
When you wash the outside of your house, which most of us don't do often enough, you remove dust and other environmental grime that can't help but make your house look dirty. It's possible that the color of your siding will surprise you. A regular garden hose with a high-pressure nozzle will usually suffice. If you don't have a pressure washer, you can rent one.
If there's enough grime to justify using a pressure washer, be cautious: the extra pressure can damage trim and siding, causing paint to flake off. If this is the case, consider turning to the professionals to complete the task. They can complete the job quickly and without causing any damage to your home's exterior.
Windows are another exterior feature that are often grimier than you realize. When your windows are sparkling clean and spot-free, you'll be amazed at how much cleaner and brighter your home appears. This is a simple and inexpensive way to improve curb appeal. If your windows tilt out or crank out, clean them with warm water, vinegar, and dish soap to make them sparkle in no time. Rinse thoroughly and dry completely with lint-free towels, microfiber towels, or even newspaper, as many people swear by.
Update - or at Least Clean - Any Outdoor Furniture
Even in the hands of a conscientious homeowner, outdoor furniture weathers and frays. Cleaning up frames and applying a coat of exterior paint for an updated look is a great curb appeal idea. You can also replace the old fabric with new cushions and pillows that reflect your personal style. Fabric from the craft store for the exterior is inexpensive and only requires basic sewing skills. Clean, updated outdoor furniture can go a long way toward realizing that perfect curb appeal you are looking for when selling a Waterloo Region home.
Add Some Small Accent Pieces
With a custom doormat, brightly colored flower pots, and solar lights along the walk, you can make your front porch or entryway more inviting for a small investment. These small accents will improve your curb appeal for a modest investment.
You don't have to take on every single one of these tasks. You can add a number of curb appeal ideas to your home by making a few small budget-friendly improvements – for your enjoyment now and for any potential buyer down the road.
Getting ready to sell your Waterloo Region home, or buy a new one? Let Team Pinto use our huge experience and expertise to help you. Contact the award-winning Team Pinto, or book a free Zoom consultation to discuss your unique Waterloo Region real estate needs in detail.