Affordable Ways to Boost Your Home’s Curb Appeal

By: Cat Murphy

Whether you are trying to create a lasting impression on your friends and neighbors or trying to fix it up before you put it on the market, boosting your home’s curb appeal can add a lot of value to your property. But how do you do that without going overboard and draining your savings? Easy! Check out these 6 ways to affordably boost your home's curb appeal.

1. Use Outdoor Lighting
   An excellent and inexpensive way to spruce up the exterior of your house is to add lighting. This can include solar powered lights along your walkway, floodlights above the garage, or lighting that illuminates your home’s facade. There are hundreds of options, colors, and styles to choose from. The best part is that they are cheap. You can find solar lights in any lawn and garden store, hardware, or supermarket.

2. Keep It Mowed
   Your yard is the first thing people notice when they drive by your house. Keeping it trimmed is an excellent way to boost its appeal. If you are selling your home then you should take extra care and keep it in pristine condition. A few easy and  eco-friendly lawn care tips include making sure you mow often but not too short, and watering deeply but not too often. Following these two things alone should ensure your lawn is healthy.

3. Get a New Mailbox
   Replacing your old rusty mailbox can also add some curb appeal. A flashy new mailbox can run you around $20 and will definitely be noticeable to potential buyers. It’s the little things that can add a lot to your home’s value.

4. Add a Visible Address
   Your address should always be visible from the curb even in the digital age with GPS navigation. Make sure you can read the numbers too. Too many homes have tiny numbers on their porches that you can only read if you get out of the car and walk onto the porch. Potential buyers aren’t mailmen, they don’t want to walk onto your property to read the address. Spend a little more on larger numbers or even better, put an address plate or stickers on your mailbox.

5. Add Flowers
   Flowers can make a huge difference in a home’s curb appeal. It shows potential buyers creativity and care for the home. And having a variety of colors can make a home look more inviting.  (That’s exactly how you want potential buyers to feel.) Consider using container gardens to easily display bright florals near the front door. Container gardens are easier to manage plants in and can move to your new home upon relocating.
    
6. Trim Up Shrubs
   If you are sprucing up the rest of your exterior then you may want to pay some attention to your trees and shrubs. Overgrown landscaping with brown or dead branches can be a real turn-off to buyers. Trees are an important investment that will be around for generations and are a high selling point for a house. If you have an old stately oak or willow then make sure it’s the star of the landscape.
    
   When it comes to buying houses, people do judge it by its cover, so it’s important to take the time and effort to make it look like a place others want to live.