Hoping to sell your house this year? There’s no better way to attract buyers than by improving the curb appeal of a home. Fortunately, you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars on paint and renovations to spiff up a home’s exterior. From cleaning outdoor furniture to adding colorful flowers, it’s easy to find low-cost ways to improve curb appeal. For more advice on how to enhance the outside of your house without breaking the bank, read our 10 budget-friendly tips below.
10 low-cost ways to improve curb appeal today
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Add flower pots, planters or window boxes
Florals can go a long way in making a home more attractive. One of the easiest ways to improve curb appeal is by potting flowers and placing them on the front porch along the stairs. In addition to adding planters, homeowners may also want to attach window boxes outside first floor windows. Potting flowers and installing window boxes can be done in one afternoon. If keeping potted plants alive is simply too much to handle, you can always opt for fake plants instead, such as a pair of faux planted Boxwoods.
Materials and estimated costs: One bag of potting mix, $5; Pots, $10; Flowers, $2+ depending on type; Window boxes and planters, $10.
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Clean your front door
Believe it or not, something as simple as cleaning your front exterior door will greatly improve the look of the home. According to the P&G Everyday blog, all you’ll need to properly clean the front door is gentle dish soap, water and a paper towel. Once you have the materials, simply dust off the door and begin scrubbing. The blog also recommends using furniture wax or polish if the front door is made of wood and using a diluted cleaning product if the front door is painted.
Materials and estimated costs: Paper towel roll, $3; Dish soap, $3; Furniture polish, $5.
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Wipe down outdoor furniture
When selling a home, first impressions matter – and nothing will make a worse first impression than a front porch full of dirty furniture cobbled in spiderwebs (trust us!). If homeowners fail to take good care of outdoor furnishings, buyers might also wonder what else has been neglected. Fortunately, this is an easy fix. Simply wipe down outdoor furniture with an all-purpose cleaner (think: 409 spray) and a roll of paper towels.
Materials and estimated costs: Paper towel roll, $3; All-purpose cleaner, $3.
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Rake or blow leaves off the lawn
Tidying up the front lawn is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to improve the curb appeal of your home. To start, we recommend raking (or leaf blowing) the front lawn and sweeping walkways and porches. After you’ve finished collecting the leaves in one place, be sure to dispose of them properly. Trust us – you don’t want that big pile of leaves to be the first thing buyers notice when they drive up.
Materials and estimated costs: Rake, $8.
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Declutter the entryway
If you want buyers to focus on the house and not items on the front lawn, then decluttering the entryway is a must. This means removing anything that doesn’t add to the curb appeal of the home. For instance, empty pots, hoses, sprinklers, solar lights, bikes, cars, excess furniture, etc. Buyers should also make sure that the front lawn is clear of trash, dog waste and other less than desirable items.
Materials and estimated costs: Removing and decluttering is free of cost.
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Clean windows
Not only will cleaning your home’s windows improve the curb appeal, it will also make the interior appear bright and light to buyers. Fortunately, you don’t have to hire professionals to make those windows sparkle. According to BobVila.com, all you have to do is wipe down outdoor windows with dish soap and clean water. The website also recommends using a microfiber cloth when washing and a squeegee when drying.
Materials and estimated costs: Paper towel roll, $3; Dish soap $3, Microfiber cloths, $3; Squeegee, $10.
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Mow the lawn and prune shrubbery
Nothing screams a neglected house quite like an overgrown lawn. To increase the curb appeal of your home, spend an afternoon mowing the grass, pruning the shrubbery and weeding the gardens. This will go a long way in making the house appear neat and well-kempt. It will also keep the buyer’s focus on the house and not on all the yardwork that needs to be done.
Materials and estimated costs: Lawn mower, $100+; Pruning shears, $10; Gardening gloves, $2.
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Create a seating area
Creating an attractive seating area on the front porch or patio adds an inviting touch to the home. It also makes it easier for a buyer to see themselves enjoying the home before they even step inside. A few suggestions for creating the perfect seating area: 1) make sure the outdoor furniture fits the space properly; 2) add outdoor pillows that go with the home’s overall look; and 3) consider a porch swing or tree swing, if there isn’t room for large, bulky furniture.
Materials and estimated costs: Outdoor furniture costs vary widely. If you happen to already have outdoor furniture, simply clean it and arrange it as a conversation area.
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Add a pop of color
Help your home stand out from the rest by adding a pop of color outdoors. This could be in the form of colorful pillows in an outdoor seating area, colorful outdoor furniture, a painted front door, painted window trim or colorful pots and flowers that go with the landscaping.
Materials and estimated costs: DIY paint job, $30+; colorful outdoor pillows, $15+; Pots, $10; Flowers, $2+ depending on type.
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Clean window screens
Over time, it’s common for window screens to accumulate dust, dirt and spiderwebs. To increase the light in your home and improve the outside look of the house, we recommend cleaning window screens before listing the home. To do so, Hunker.com recommends knocking off the dust with a rag and then wiping the screen down with a warm water and dish soap solution.
Materials and estimated costs: Dish soap, $3.
Source: Moving.com
