According to the 2013 National Association of Realtors, seventy-one percent of homebuyers consider curb appeal while looking for a home. Curb Appeal is the way the outside of your home looks, e.g. the landscaping. If you are looking to sell your home or even just make it look nicer to you yourself, here are some great tips as to how you can gain better curb appeal.
- Maintenance is key: By maintaining your lawn, trees, gardens, patios, walkways, and other items that are visible from the curb of your house it makes it easier to keep your landscaping up to par. Some items to look for while maintaining your yard are dead branches, weeds, broken objects, leveled walkways, sturdy and clean looking railings for steps, dead plants, overgrown shrubbery, as well as anything else that you that you may notice while walking by.
- Planting flowers is a good idea: When someone is at your front door they normally look around your yard while waiting for you to answer the door. By having fresh flowers planted around the door it will bring a pleasant feel to the home. If there are objects that someone may see from your front door that isn’t too pleasant, e.g. into your neighbor’s house or trash cans, you can plant trees or taller flower types to cover the view of those objects. If you will be planting trees, though, keep in mind that if you plant too close to your home the roots may disturb the foundation and trees with leaves may be more of a hassle so you can opt for an evergreen tree.
- Don’t waste money on items of personal value: If you are looking to sell your home and are re-landscaping to help, make sure not to buy anything that you like personally, since not everyone has the same tastes. If you don’t have a play set for your children already, don’t buy one now since you won’t know if the new homeowners will have children, and if you do have one you can take it apart to take with you to your new home.
- Fencing is always a good thing to invest in: By adding fences to your yards it creates a more private feel to the home, which is something most homeowners want now a days. The best option when putting a fence in is a board-type fence.
- Create a simple landscape: Too many plants can be a lot for a yard and can make it look cluttered. By planting one or two types of plants in an area will look better than a bunch of different type of plants. Also, make sure you buy the right type of plants for the area in which you live in, make sure that they are easy to take care of, and make sure you know how they will turn out once fully grown.
- If you are selling your home, the backyard should also be landscaped nicely. By adding some nice features it will help bring more interested buyers. Decks, patios, outdoor kitchens, fountains, and lighting are some great options that you can add. If you also have outdoor furniture make sure to keep it in good condition by power washing them and adding new cushions to seats to make them look more appealing.