Top 10 Tips to Boost Your Home's Curb Appeal for a Quick Sale

It's difficult getting a home in shape for a sale. Sure, you want top dollar for your home, but with little time and money, you spend more time on sprucing up the home's interior than thinking about the value of added curb appeal. As a homeowner, we just don't see our home as prospective buyers do. Instead, we have an emotional attachment that often clouds our ability to see the home, particularly outside of the home, for what it is: old, in disrepair, boring, out of date, or worse.

But, enhancing your home's curb appeal doesn't require years of therapy. Nor does it have to break the budget. Curb appeal can increase your home's worth for resale, reappraisal and more. Check out these Top 10 Tips to Boost Your Home's Curb Appeal for a Quick Sale. Easy ways to get your house sold in less time. By boosting your home's curb appeal, you're sure to impress your family, friends, neighbors and, hopefully, prospective buyers looking for a charming, well-maintained home.

Curb Appeal Tip 1. Paint the outside of your home, and paint some more.Nothing gives your home more of a fresh start than a fresh coat of paint.

Curb Appeal Tip 2.Repair shutters, gutters and roof lines. Nothing makes your home look more dingy than shutters falling off the house or gutters that have outlasted their purpose. Get several bids on the work, or do it yourself.

Curb Appeal Tip 3. Install a new front door or repair and repaint the old one. A new front door is like rolling out the welcome mat for prospective buyers. Shop around for deals and discounts. Or, if you're willing to invest the time and money, have a new one milled especially for the space.

Curb Appeal Tip 4. Install a new garage door or repair and repaint the old one. Newly installed carriage doors look great from the curb. So do garage doors that are well maintained and painted. Make sure your garage door opener is in working order as well.

Curb Appeal Tip 5.Replace or refresh hardware. If new doors are out of the question, try replacing the hardware to make your home look contemporary and ready to buy. Buy online for discount hardware. Don't have the money? Refresh the hardware to get it looking like new.

Curb Appeal Tip 6.Power wash deck and siding. Houses covered in dirt, grime and mold hold little appeal for prospective buyers. A little power washing goes a long way in making your deck and siding look like new.

Curb Appeal Tip 7. Clear dirt, debris and leaves from front porch, sidewalks and walkways. Sweep these areas once or twice a day to keep them looking like new.

Curb Appeal Tip 8. Edge your garden and sidewalks. A simple edging goes a long way in making your lawn and garden stand out from the rest. Rake leaves and keep the yard clear for an even greater impact.

Curb Appeal Tip 9. Trim trees and shrubbery. Don't let trees and shrubs overtake your home and garden. A little trimming will help prospective buyers see the home and yard more clearly.

Curb Appeal Tip 10. Place flowers or other greenery on front porch. Buy a new welcome mat. Check out Home Depot, Lowes, Sears or your local hardware store for deals and discounts. Shop online for designer containers and welcome mats at a fraction of the cost. Or, make your own. Whatever it takes to make the prospective buyer feel right at home.

RESOURCES

This Old House
www.thisoldhouse.com

Home and Garden Television
www.hgtv.com

Martha Stewart Living
www.marthastewart.com