This article is written by Clara Beaufort, gardenergigs.com. She has perfect curb appeal tips for home sellers!
There are a few ways to add value to real estate. You can stay on top of interior design trends and paint your walls in the new, in-demand color, but you risk picking a color that might not fit with a buyer’s design ideas. Renovations can also add to your home’s worth, but they have to be appropriate for your property and can get extremely expensive. An inexpensive way to add value to your home and increase the likelihood of someone wanting to buy it is by adding curb appeal elements.
Curb appeal basics
A home’s exterior condition is important to its worth for two main reasons. First, people want to live in a home that looks nice. Manicured lawns, colorful flower beds and sharply-trimmed bushes and trees are signs of a well-maintained home. Curb appeal is a polite way of saying “home envy.” With the right amount of small jobs and maintenance, you can easily make your house the envy of the neighborhood.
Curb appeal also helps add value because it draws people to see your home. If your home has a lovely interior, no one will know if your exterior is off-putting. Curb appeal can be had cheaply and with little effort. One of the most accessible DIY jobs, landscaping is an enjoyable hobby, too. Just make sure you have the right tools and equipment, starting with the right pair of gardening gloves.
Start simply with a front lawn
Lawn maintenance is not difficult, but it requires patience and adherence to a schedule. Maintaining a lush green lawn is like rolling out a red carpet for buyers. In order to do so, you need to manage weeding and feeding. Once warmer weather starts, broadleaf weeds such as dandelions and crabgrass will see an opportunity to take over your lawn. Treat them in early spring with a pre-emergent product, but make sure your lawn is damp first. Broadleaf weed killers are powdery granules that have to stick to the weeds in order to be effective, and morning dew helps this along.
Also, make sure that your lawn is fed nutrients. You can apply fertilizer or use a mulching technique when mowing. Ensuring that your lawn is appropriately watered is important also, but over-watering is worse than allowing the lawn to dry out.
Mow your lawn regularly to encourage healthy growth, and invest in an edger to create a showcase quality to your home.
Spend a few bucks on mulch – it’s your best investment
Dark brown mulch can make the oldest, most decrepit landscaping look wonderful. It costs only $4 for a bag, and a dozen or so bags goes a long way. Beyond good looks, the mulch inhibits weed growth in flower beds, retains water, and keeps erosion in check. A freshly-mulched front lawn is the easiest and cheapest way to make your home have new-house curb appeal.
Add some color and character with plants
Flower beds are areas to display some natural beauty in your front yard. Plants and flowers can be expensive, so look for perennials – which are plants that return each year – in lieu of annual flowers that you’ll toss each fall. When planning your curb appeal garden, simplicity is the key – think a builder’s model home rather than an overflowing Victorian garden.
Shrubs and trees are important components of curb appeal as well. Keep them trimmed and pruned each year to maintain a manicured look and for their health. Pruning can help you develop a tree’s shape, which will allow unobstructed views from indoors, too.
Simple landscaping can add value to any home. Follow these tips for a green, weed-free lawn, and a sharp-looking front lawn that will turn heads.
Photo Credit: Unsplash
Blog Credit: Clara Beaufort, gardenergigs.com
