Spring Into Action: Boost Your Home’s Curb Appeal

Does your house look ready to sell? There is an incredible amount of work to do in order to be ready to put your house on the market, and with spring right around the corner, now is the time to be thinking about what needs to be done around the house to fix it up. You could have someone put on a new roof or finish the basement, but if you’re looking for things you can get done on your own, a curb appeal project might be the right start for you.

WHAT IS CURB APPEAL?

Nice homes sell fast. This simple fact of the housing market has always been true. When your house looks its best, it fetches the best price in the quickest time. Large renovations, like a new kitchen or bathroom, can add huge value to the overall price of your home. Small projects, meanwhile, can enhance the overall finish of your home, and help it to look more attractive to potential buyers.

A home’s curb appeal is that aesthetic quality of being both immediately inviting and impressive. A clean, unobstructed walkway to the front door, cleared of weeds and leaves or snow and ice depending on the season, welcomes prospective buyers, and invites them to imagine themselves welcoming others up the same pristine walkway.

FOCUS YOUR RENOVATION BUDGET

Taking a look around your house, you might see some projects you’ve always wanted to get done, but there are other factors to consider when jumping into a renovation project, like which ones will add the most value or curb appeal to your home. With spring buyers waiting just around the corner to snap up the prettiest properties, it’s important to put your time and money into the renovations and updates that will yield you the best return.

The 2022 Remodeling Impact Report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) highlights popular home improvements and what sort of return they bring for the investment (see graph below):

The most interesting part of this graph is that the only renovation that makes you money is having wood floors that look new, while a new kitchen isn’t nearly as valuable as one might think. In order to find the renovation that’s right for you, be sure to speak with your trusted real estate advisor to get the best advice on the upgrades that are the most desirable in your local market.

BOOST YOUR OWN CURB APPEAL

So what can you do yourself to get the most value out of your house? There are a lot of low-cost, do-it-yourself improvements you can make to get your property ready to sell as quickly as possible. Investopedia puts it this way:

“Curb-appeal projects make the property look good as soon as prospective buyers arrive. While these projects may not add a considerable amount of monetary value, they will help your home sell faster—and you can do a lot of the work yourself to save money and time.”

As the weather warms and the spring buyers wake from hibernation and come knocking, here’s a checklist of low-cost projects you can do to make the best first impression:

BOTTOM LINE

With spring quickly approaching, now is the time to get your house ready to sell. Whether it’s taking on a big remodel, or just a really thorough spring cleaning, it’s never too early to tackle that first project and get the ball rolling. The best way to be sure you’re spending your time and money in the right places around your home is to speak to your trusted real estate professional about the latest insights into selling quickly this spring. Let’s connect today so you can find out which updates make the most sense.