10 Ways to Boost Your Home’s Curb Appeal in Eugene
What exactly is Curb Appeal? Well, it is the level of appeal or attractiveness your home has when it is viewed from the curb. The prime example of judging a book by its cover. 😉 It is the first impression which will hopefully give prospective home-buyers some idea of how well the rest of the house has been taken care of. Fixing-Upping is all well and good for some house hunters, but others would say “aint nobody got time for dat”. Whether you are looking to sell your home for a good price, keep property values in your neighborhood up, or just want to improve the environment of your home for yourself; one of these 10 tips is sure to help you out!
1. Pressure Wash
They say beauty runs deeper than the surface… and that is absolutely true. Deep beneath the surface of dust and grime and mildew lies a beautiful home. For added curb appeal; also pressure wash the driveway and sidewalks!
If pressure washing reveals that your home is not, in fact, beautiful beneath the surface; do not despair! We have 9 more tips to go!
2. Paint
While this is not the most low-cost option, this will add more value to your home than most other things will, so it is likely that you will see some return on investment here. Unless, of course, you forfeit that opportunity by either choosing a hideous color or hiring your painter carelessly. The first should be easy to avoid though, and you can click HERE if you want some tips for hiring a painter!
You can also touch up your paint if it has been recently painted and hasn’t faded too much to match. If you hire us- we do the touch up work for you! Check out this video of Sir Paints A Lot doing warranty touch up work! For more information about our Warranty, give us a call!
3. Paint Front Door
Repainting your whole exterior may not be in the budget, but painting the front door is a much cheaper way to draw attention to the fact that you pay attention to your home. Remember- the underlying purpose of curb appeal is to show that the home has been taken care of. Choose a color that stands out while still pairing well with the other colors of your home. We are not looking for an obnoxious clash of the colors here. Bold and beautiful!
4. Plants
Whether your plants are non-existent or just need some affection, having some crisp clean greenery is a sure way to boost your home’s liveliness and curb appeal. If you need some ideas for plants that grow well in the Pacific Northwest, click HERE! Plant placement is a factor so be sure to consider the amount of sunlight the area you will be adding plants to receives Before you select your plants.The most common place to plant bushes or flowers tends to be somewhere that accentuates the focal points of the home, such as near the front door or below the front windows. Even a simple potted plant can be a significant improvement! As long as you remember to water it…. 😉
5. Rocks
Rock Gardens can also add an appealing touch to your home! You can head down to the river and collect some river rocks for free, or you can purchase some more specific rocks if you have a certain look in mind. Rocks may not smell as wonderful as fresh sod, but they sure do last longer! When you use rocks to accent the areas you have your plants-Even better!
6. House Numbers
There are a lot of ways to be creative with this one! Making your house numbers stand out in an appealing way not only helps people find your house in the first place, it also makes it feel more inviting and therefore more like a home.
7. General Lawn Maintenance
Even if you prefer a yard of dandelions and clovers and bumblebees with tall soft grass that has never encountered a lawn mower… This will most assuredly look like work to any prospective home-buyer. If you plan to sell your home, you should begin a lawn-care regimen before listing, and make sure to at least do a little weed and feed. When considering curb appeal, remember that the lawn is the closest thing to the curb! If your yard is full of gopher holes and dog bone hide-outs and crab grass and weeds and more work that you yourself don’t have time for….consider laying down sod.
8. Outdoor Lights
Let there be Light! Many houses already have some sort of outdoor light, but even simple things like updating the fixtures and replacing the bulbs can give your entryway a boost! Solar lights along walkway paths is another option if you don’t have the time to add in new electrical fixtures.
9. Clean Windows
If all of this talk about external appearances has got you down in the shallows- this is your moment! Windows will need to be cleaned on the inside too in order to look nice on the outside! 😉 Especially if you have small children…Dusty, dirty windows are not going to do you any favors and this is one of the easiest things you can do yourself! It will be worth it!
10. Walk Around
Chances are, if it looks bad, you already know… Some homes might have worn out porch railings, or the deck might need stained… Other houses may not have these things at all. A 6ft privacy fence will be far more valuable if your neighbor feels the need to supply the city with a back-up junkyard than it will be if your neighbor’s house has even more curb appeal than your own! Maybe you can’t afford a total repaint, but you can still walk around and do touch up. If the front door looks bland, consider adding a wreath! Bird-watching is a huge hobby in Eugene, so simple things like adding a bird feeder can go farther than you think!
If you are selling your home, keep in mind that the buyer will eventually see the inside as well, and you will want that to look taken care of too! I will post a blog soon with tips for your home’s interior and link it here soon!
Some articles will give you 40 ideas for boosting curb appeal, but I’m going to repeat my earlier sentiment of “aint nobody got time for dat”. Simple things will go a long way in making your house feel like a home to someone who doesn’t even live there. Even if you do not plan on selling, taking care of your home makes it a better place for you to live too! The only things you’ve got to lose are a few dandelions! If you hate to waste them, here are some fun dandelion recipes because why not!
