Are you selling a home? Maybe you are flipping another property. Either way, the housing market has never been hotter than it is now. There are plenty of buyers and not enough inventory. While this is a seller's dream, why settle for just a few offers around your asking price when you can make a few small modifications that can transform your curbside appeal and create a bidding war.
1. Strategic Painting
Ever hear the phrase, "A little paint can go a long way"? Well, this is what they were talking about. Focus your efforts and budget two a few key areas that will cause your house to pop. Usually, the home trim, soffits, window outlines, and shutters can all be done in a nice bright white. Another area that can grab a potential buyer from the road is the front door. Realestateagentpdx.com found that the top 5 colors that inspire sales are Black, charcoal, Red, Dark Blue, and Natural Wood. Choose contrasting but complementing colors.
2. Brighten Gutters
Along with bright trim, your gutters are going to be a significant focal point. Gutter brightening is included in most professional home exterior cleaning service packages.
3. Outdoor Lighting
For around $20, you can buy solar-powered outdoor lights on Amazon. These little dashes of decoration create an inviting runway to the buyer's future home. And while you're at it, don't forget to pick up a pack of standard LED light bulbs to replace any burnt-out ones around the house.
4. Landscaping
While professional landscaping can be a huge expense, there are a few areas that you can touch up to make the home a bit more attractive. A cut lawn and trimmed bushes shows will sell the "dream home" image. Don't forget to put a few bags of mulch in the flower beds and rent an edger from Home Depot to put clean defining lines around your lawn's borders.
5. Change Hardware
This one may be a bit more expensive but will go a long way. Nice bright new hardware on the outside of the home scream "care". And a homeowner that cares about their home will pull the highest bids. Consider updating your address numbers, doorknobs, and doorbell. If you have an attached mailbox, you may also consider replacing it. New hardware fixtures can be around $100 total but could add up to $1000s at the negotiating table.
6. Clean Driveways, Walkways, and Sidewalk
The concrete in the front of the home can develop just as much, if not more, growth as the rest of the home. Hire a professional to pressure or power wash your front driveway and walkways. The brighter concrete will stand out from the neighbors and make your house pop.
7. Charming Decorations
Check out Pinterest from charming front patio decorations that will make your space feel like home to a prospective buyer. A few well-placed flower pots and a lovely wicker love seat inspires buyers to the little personal touches they can add to their new home. Help them visualize themselves living there.
8. Soft Wash Home Siding
In many cases, you can altogether avoid the cost of painting your entire home. Soft washing, when professionally serviced, uses the active ingredient in bleach and soap to clean, disinfect and rejuvenate your home's color by killing all the growth attached. The results are immediate and add incredible value to your home's curbside appeal.
9. New Doormat
This item is a must-have. You can buy a beautiful "Home Sweet Home" doormat on Amazon right now for $20. This will serve as a clear call to action for potential buyers and will tie together all the work you've put into the home's curbside appeal.
While we cannot help you with all 9 of these, Power Clean Pressure Wash specializes in residential exterior cleaning projects. We offer roof, home siding, deck, patio, and concrete surface cleaning. When was the last time you had your home exterior professionally cleaned? Visit PowerCleanPW.com or call (253)655-7474 today for a free and fast estimate. Most of our estimates are done instantly over the phone.
How did we do? Did we catch all the tips on your list? Was there any major project that we left off? What are your best practices for increasing your home's curbside appeal? Leave a comment below.