Boosting Your Home’s Curb Appeal: Small Changes That Make Big Impressions

If you think that curb appeal doesn’t affect the resale value of your home, think again. Beautifying your landscape or painting the exterior can increase your home’s perceived value by 5% to 11%. Considering most curb appeal improvements cost a couple of hundred dollars and require just a few hours, not investing in a nice look can be a costly and senseless mistake. If you want top dollar for your home, invest in the following minor changes that promise a huge return.

Invest in Your Lawn and Garden

According to the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors, landscaping does not just boost your home’s curb appeal but can actually increase its value. Per the findings from a Virginia Tech study, a landscaped home can yield 5.5% to 12.7% more than a comparable home without landscaping. This translates to an additional $16,000 to $38,000 more on a $300,000 home. To see the greatest return on investment from your efforts, match your landscape to your home’s style, design with a strategy in mind, plant trees, edge your lawn, and achieve a seasonal balance.

Fix That Fence

There are dozens of reasons to replace a rundown, broken or otherwise dilapidated fence. At best, a rundown fence can detract from the marketability of your home. At worst, it can decrease your home’s perceived value and cause otherwise interested parties to offer below the asking price. Fixing or even repainting an old, worn-out fence can cost anywhere from $200 to $900. For many homeowners, this cost is well worth it, as it boosts buyers’ impressions and speeds the turnaround time.

Give Your Front Door a Pop of Color

It requires less than a gallon of paint, no more than $40, and just a few hours of your time to give your front door a refreshed look, but it can pay off dividends. In fact, according to one homeowner, painting the front door increased the value of her home by as much as $6,000. If you have room in your budget for any upgrades, this is the one to do.

Repair or Replace Broken or Drafty Windows

Repairing or replacing old or drafty windows is certainly no small investment. Such home improvements necessitate the help of a professional. The actual cost will depend on your location, the company you hire, the extent of the job and the type of windows you need. Just be sure to vet professionals by reading online reviews and checking for licensure and insurance.

Clean the Siding

Finally, power wash your home’s siding. Doing so can help your home appeal to a broader range of clients and help it more easily pass inspections (as inspectors hate things like mold, moss and mildew).

You can do some of these repairs on your own, but others you will want to hire professional help for. Regardless, both your time and monetary investment are sure to pay off.

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