Tag Archives: curb appeal

Spring is Here! 5 Easy Ways to Spruce Up Your Curb Appeal

It is officially springtime, which means gray skies and snow are behind us, and we can look forward to longer, brighter days. Early spring is one of the most popular times of year for outdoor landscaping, and many homeowners like to focus on simple, yet impactful projects. Here are five ways to spruce up your home’s curb appeal this spring.

Install Edging along Walkways & Garden Beds

Edging is one of the simplest ways to upgrade your home’s aesthetic appeal almost immediately, and it is often referred to as a facelift for your home. It creates contrast and adds definition to the various parts of your yard, and it also keeps things neat and tidy in a way that is pleasing to the eye. There are plenty of materials you can use for edging, including concrete, wood, stones, tile, or even plastic. You can use edging along the length of your sidewalks, walkways, driveway, and even garden beds.

Lay Down New Mulch

A new layer of mulch is one of the fastest and most affordable ways to spruce up your home’s curb appeal. Traditional mulch in varied brown tones is by far the most popular, but there are all kinds of other options to consider if you really want your home to stand out. You could opt for mulch in a color that complements your home’s aesthetic, but avoid light or pastel colors, which can quickly take on a “dirty” look. If you want something more permanent, opt for pebbles or rocks, instead.

Improve Your Yard’s Lighting

Lighting is often overlooked in outdoor landscaping, but it is one of the most powerful ways to improve your home’s curb appeal – especially before dawn or after dusk. The possibilities are endless, but if you want a truly dramatic effect, use brighter lights to highlight your front door and any other focus areas and dimmer lights for things like footpaths. If energy consumption is a concern, solar lighting is an excellent choice.

Clean and/or Paint Your Home’s Exterior

If your home is covered in siding, making it look new again is as simple as cleaning it. You can have your home exterior power washed in a single afternoon, and the transformation is almost unbelievable. On the other hand, if your home’s exterior is painted, avoid power-washing, and have it professionally repainted, instead. Do not neglect your front door, shutters, and window frames; sometimes, painting them a bright, happy color can really make them pop.

Trim Shrubs & Trees

Unkempt shrubs and trees can dramatically affect your home’s curb appeal, so if you’re looking for quick ways to give your home an upgrade, hire a professional trimmer. When you hire a pro, he or she can look for signs of damage or disease that could cause issues down the road. This is another project that can usually be done in a single day, and it can make a dramatic difference.

Your home’s exterior is the first thing people see, so it is important to keep it in good, clean condition. Completing projects like edging and mulch, adding and adjusting lighting, trimming back trees and shrubs, and power washing or painting your home can go a long way toward improving your home’s appearance.

Winter Curb Appeal Ideas to Spruce Up Your Home

Winters in the Chicago area are not known for their cheerful color, and that means your home exterior may start looking a little drab. If you are looking for ways to spruce up your home and give it some much-needed curb appeal, the tips and ideas below may inspire you.

Paint Your Front Door

When real estate agents help homeowners sell their houses, more than 70% encourage their clients to apply a fresh coat of bright, cheerful paint – especially during the winter. You might choose to paint the door of a white house blue, or if your home is brick, consider a brilliant red. The best part of this project is its simplicity; most homeowners can DIY the entire project for under $100 in supplies.

Plant Some Evergreens

Winter foliage can go a long way toward making homes look alive in the dead of winter. Though tulips and hydrangeas add beautiful color, they simply don’t thrive in Chicago’s cold winters. Look for evergreen shrubs that will add a pop of green all throughout the year. Some ideas include boxwood, mountain laurel, evergreen azaleas, and even Oregon grape. Blue holly is another stunning option with its shiny blue-green leaves, and the female plants even sprout bright red fruit.

Make the Best Use of Lighting

Lighting plays a key role in curb appeal, and that is especially true in the dark, gray days of winter. Add some decorative lanterns to your porch, or consider utilizing lighting along walking paths, your driveway, and even the perimeter of your home. You’ll want to be sure that you look for products that are weather-resistant, and while metal frames are quite hardy, stone is often your best bet.

Keep Walkways and Driveways Snow-Free

Even if you are not a fan of the winter months, there is something beautiful and serene about a soft blanket of snow as far as the eye can see. Snow cover also gives you the option to create curb appeal by simply clearing the snow from your driveways and walkways. The distinct variation between the snow-covered lawn and the crisp, detailed paths is quite picturesque, and as a bonus, cleared walking paths are safer, too.

Don’t Overdo the Holiday Decor

If you are someone who loves holiday decor, you are certainly not alone. More than half of all real estate agents say that a few carefully placed decorations – including tasteful Christmas lights – attract buyers. However, overdoing the holiday decor can have the opposite of the intended effect. Instead, choose a few of your favorite (and simple) decorations and place them strategically throughout your home’s exterior. In other words, the holiday decor should be noticeable, but it should not detract from the best features of your home.

From landscaping to decorating and even a fresh coat of paint, there are countless ways to improve your home’s curb appeal without spending a fortune. A few evergreens, a brightly-colored front door, and a clear pathway to that door are often all it takes to spruce up your home’s exterior.

Spring Time Means House Selling – Tips for Amazing Curb Appeal Buyers Will Love

If you’ve decided to sell your home, you’ll likely have heard the term ‘improving curb appeal’ more than once. The outward appearance of your property will play a tremendous part when it comes to potential buyers deciding whether they will want to take a look inside your house or not.

Contrary to popular belief, improving curb appeal need not cost a lot either. In fact, there are several things you can do to spruce up the outside of your property that are more affordable than you realize:

Start with a Coat of Paint

Although homeowners often underestimate the power that a simple coat of paint has when it comes to improving the outside appearance of your home, this alone can often sway a potential buyer’s mind to investigate the inside of it.

When choosing paint colors, it’s best to stick with neutrals like gray, beige, taupe, white and cream. While you may think that pink or blue looks fabulous, potential buyers may be put off by loud colors and move on to the next property for sale instead. Be sure to give your home’s front door a coat of paint as well.

Replace Outdoor Light Fixtures

Outside lights are another item that homeowners often forget about – until such time as they put their property up for sale. Many excellent options are available for outdoor lighting nowadays, ranging from basic fittings right through to solar powered units that are powerful enough to light up an entire backyard.

When choosing replacement light fixtures, ensure that they’re rated as being waterproof and suitable for outdoor use because this will prevent them from malfunctioning during inclement weather. Opting for LED bulbs will also not only provide more light; your energy bill will thank you as well because these use up to 75% less electricity than standard globes.

Hire a Professional Landscaper

There’s a significant difference between just raking up the leaves in your yard and cutting the lawn and hiring a professional landscaper to perform a makeover in your yard. Experienced landscapers will know how to make the most of available yard and garden space and ensure that this part of your property looks lush and green – making it as appealing as possible to potential buyers.

Pressure Wash your Porch and Deck Areas

Pressure washing these areas will not only help them look shiny and visually appealing; it will remove any moss, fungus and mold that may have accumulated and could cause a slipping hazard. If you don’t own a pressure washer, some hardware chains rent them out for fairly affordable daily rates.

Even something as simple as replacing your mailbox will go a long way in helping to improve your home’s curb appeal substantially. In many cases, professional landscapers and even real estate agents will be able to provide additional tips for getting the outside of your home to look as appealing as possible when that ‘For Sale’ board goes up on your front lawn.