A house with curb appeal looks loved and inviting, with thoughtful design and small touches that say its owners take pride in where they live. An added outcome of enhancing your home’s curb appeal is that it generates a strong positive reaction in you, your neighbors and guests – and potential buyers when it comes time to sell.
Whether you plan to sell this year or well into the future, here are five things you can do to create maximum curb appeal.
- Banish clutter. If the first thing a prospective buyer sees when pulling up to your home is overflowing trash cans and unkempt landscaping, you’ve already missed your chance at making a good first impression. Get rid of any clutter that detracts from the exterior appearance of your home, including overgrown shrubs, leaves, lawn ornaments, garden hoses, trash, bicycles and old vehicles. Eliminate all but a few carefully selected planters and pieces of outdoor furniture.
- Freshen the entry. Remove everything from your porch or patio, and thoroughly clean the entire area. Give your front door a fresh coat of paint if needed. Replace or repair damaged storm doors and screens. Add planters or other colorful accents to the entryway. Pull weeds from the walkways leading up to your home.
- Make siding repairs. Just because some of your siding has been damaged by water or other forces doesn’t always mean you have to re-side the entire house. For just a few hundred dollars, an experienced siding contractor may be able to make small repairs to fix siding that is cracked, warped or worn.
- Add trim for visual interest. Incorporating simple trim accents on porch columns, dormers and roof peaks can greatly enhance curb appeal. Before adding trim accents, look at the other houses on your street. Avoid over-accessorizing; too many accents can leave your home looking out-of-place.
- Care for bushes and trees. Mature, well-tended landscaping can add a sense of elegance and character to a property, but if it is neglected and overgrown, it can have the opposite effect. If your bushes and trees are overgrown or otherwise unattractive, prune them or hire a professional to care for them.
- Plant flowers and shrubs. If you have the opposite problem – a year that’s bare of any vegetation – invest in some plantings of flowers and shrubs that thrive in your region. If you have minimal room for planting, even simple container gardens can greatly enhance a front elevation.
Explore the Possibilities
If you want to learn how to increase curb appeal and are considering a siding upgrade, visit the LP® SmartSide® gallery to explore siding profiles and envision the possibilities for your home. For more information about LP SmartSide Trim and Siding, connect with a remodeler near you.
