How to Add Curb Appeal to Your Home

• Posted on May 11, 2015

Curb appeal is one of the most important aspects of your home, whether you’re trying to sell it or not. The more inviting your house looks from the outside, the more people will want to see the inside as well. Since many of the things that make the outside of a house more appealing take time, it’s always a good idea to start early, even if you aren’t sure if you’re going to sell your house in the future.

Paint Your House

A fresh coat of paint can make a house look brand new again. When choosing paint colors, you want to be careful. A color that is different from the other houses in your neighborhood might make yours stand out, but not always in a good way.

If the houses in your neighborhood are all painted different colors, you have a little more freedom when it comes to choosing an exterior paint color. However, if all of the houses on your street are the same color, you should stay in the same color range. Try to go no more than a few shades darker or lighter than your neighbors’ houses. This will give you the advantage of standing out, but in a subtle fashion that won’t make your house look like it doesn’t belong.

Plant Trees

Trees can completely alter a house’s curb appeal. Bigger trees can provide shade and privacy, and trees that have flowers can also look beautiful in the spring. Since trees take a long time to grow, you should consider planting trees immediately after you move into your house. If you stay, you’ll have beautiful trees down the road; if you sell, your house will look more appealing.

When choosing which trees to plant, consider trees that do well in a drier climate. You should also give some thought to how much maintenance the trees require. For instance, a horse chestnut tree drips sticky sap in the summer and spiked horse chestnuts in the fall, along with all of its leaves. Maple trees only drop leaves, though, making it easier to keep your lawn tidy.

Landscape your Yard

Landscaping is one of the most important things you can do to your yard. You can hire a professional, or if you have an artistic eye, you can do it yourself. Landscaping usually consists of deciding what you want your yard to look like, and figuring out what trees and flowers you can plant, and where, to achieve the desired look.

When you landscape your yard, you should keep the time and effort required to maintain your chosen landscape in mind. A yard with a winding design of trees and flowerbeds may look very nice, but it may also be difficult to mow and require a lot of weeding. Try to find designs that work well with as little maintenance as possible. This will keep your yard from looking messy if you get too busy to take care of it, and it will be more appealing to potential homeowners if you decide to sell.

Remember, the outside of your house is just as important as the inside. With a little work, you can make your house look as appealing from the sidewalk curb as it does when you enter the front door.