Top-notch first impressions of your home can help ensure its successful marketing when it’s for sale, but also create an inviting feeling to your casual visitors when they step onto your property.
Boosting curb appeal doesn’t have to be an expensive undertaking or one that takes weeks to accomplish. As a matter of fact, a lot can be achieved in just one day. Here are six easy ways to create a great first impression that is a lasting one.
Start with a thorough cleaning of the front porch slab, door, windows, walls and ceiling. This will set the stage for your curb appeal makeover.
Ensure that everything is as clean as possible – a power washer can help if you need to remove stubborn dirt and stains – and that there are no large cracks in stonework or slabs or any pesky weeds poking through.
Any front facing windows should be given the proper attention too. This means washing the windows themselves, cleaning the outdoor sills and trim and ensuring that the blinds or drapes are neat, clean and in keeping with the rest of your home’s exterior.
If scrubbing down the front door doesn’t make it visually “pop,” then paint it a color that complements the color of the house but also brings a visitor’s eye to the entry with some brightness.
The best paint to use is one that is specifically designed to be weather resistant and long-lasting. There are some excellent options out there, and they are still available in lots of different colours.
An easy and fun fix is to find a new doormat with a subtle, classy look, often incorporating color that coordinates with the front door. What an inexpensive way to take your curb appeal up a notch! Jut make sure to keep things neutral and avoid slogans or sayings that might be misinterpreted or offend visiting potential home buyers.
While shopping at the home improvement store for paint and a doormat, be sure to check out the aisle with new house numbers, especially if your old ones are dingy and cannot be cleaned up. Be sure the style of the numbers is in tune with the character of the front of your home. And that they are large enough to be seen from the road!
If you shop carefully, you can also find reasonably priced new door hardware to harmonize with the new house numbers. You’ll be amazed at the difference a new door knob or door handle can make sometimes!
To add additional attractive colour, introduce well-placed potted flowers on the porch and the entry walkway. Low-maintenance plants will endure through the season without requiring a lot of attention. Some great options include ‘Golden Sword’ yucca , Golden creeping Jenny and Japanese pieris, all of which can usually be found relatively easily at your local plant nursery or home store.