5 Small Upgrades that can Drastically Improve your Curb Appeal

First impressions matter. Whether you’re going on a blind date or trying to sell your home, a strong first impression can make all the difference.

Upgrading your home’s curb appeal can have a dramatic impact on the number of potential buyers that stop in to visit your home—and, of course, the final sales price. The trick is to only perform home upgrades that pay for themselves with a higher total sales price, but there are a few curb appeal hacks that can pay for themselves many times over.

1. Paint your Front Door

It might not be the first thing you notice from the curb, but your home’s front door is the last thing visitors see before they experience your home’s interior. Giving your door a fresh, vibrant paint job can help visitors envision your house as their new home just by removing signs of wear and tear. They even sell paints specifically called "Curb Appeal" designed for front doors.

2. Install Outdoor Lighting

Savvy home buyers don’t just drive by during the day—they also cruise your neighborhood at night to make sure it still feels safe. For that reason, be sure to add at least a little landscaping lighting to your yard. Strategically placed uplighting for your walls and trees, as well as some walkway lighting, can have a quick but powerful impact on your prospective buyers.

Whether you install your own lighting or work with a landscape lighting designer depends on what you’re up against: If all the homes on your block already have stake lights, it might be worth installing something more permanent.

3. Clean up your Garden Beds

Never try to sell a car without washing it first, and never try to sell a house without cleaning up the garden beds. You don’t have to go crazy here: just take a few minutes to clear out the dead and dying plants, add or clean up a stone border around your bed, and consider laying down some fresh mulch.

4. Clean up your driveway

If you haven’t rented a power washer in a while, now’s the time. Using a pressure washer to clean any spots or stains off your driveway only takes an hour or two, but you’ll be amazed just how much of a subtle impact it will have on your home’s overall curb appeal. Dig out any weeds, repair the cracks, and consider trimming your driveway with flagstones to make it look more inviting.

5. Replace missing roof riles

Most buyers aren’t going to get excited about a damaged or worn looking roof. Even if your roof isn’t due for replacement any time soon, there is nothing wrong with doing some minor repairs—especially for damage that is visible from the curb. Start by identifying what kinds of roof damage you’re facing, and then make sure that you won’t void your roof’s warranty by performing your own repairs. You might also want to consider replacing or repainting your gutters at the same time.

We hope these quick tips can help you get more buyers on your doorstep and more value out of your home.