We’re all aware that the most important thing about a first impression is that you only get one; the same is true for your home. Every home seller knows that they need to give their house the greatest clean it has ever received when they put their house on the market; prospective buyers will be looking in every nook and cranny to decide if they are going to purchase your home. However, many homeowners get so caught up with the interior of their home, that they forget to pay attention to the first impression their house gives; commonly referred to as curb appeal. Many would-be home sellers carry around a misconception that increasing curb appeal is going to cost them a lot of money – this is not the case. This article will briefly address 3 ways you can increase your home’s curb appeal, and therefore the amount you can sell it for, for less than $250.00!!
1. Give Your House a Shower
Obviously, one of the first things a potential home buyer will see when they walk towards your house is, you guessed it, the outside of your house. One of the interesting things about us, as people, is that when we are exposed to the same thing every day for a prolonged period, we simply don’t notice incremental changes. Your once pristine white home is now an off-white, but it doesn’t look very different to the person who sees their home every single day. The would-be purchaser has never seen your home and will take note that the exterior of your home looks dirty. Get your home pressure washed, spray down the driveway and the exterior of your house. Giving your house a shower will run between $50 and $250 but will return your house to its original appearance.
2. Plant a LOT of Drought-Resistant Plants
Many homeowners mistakenly believe that landscaping isn’t worth pursuing if you aren’t going to spend an arm and a leg; it’s not necessary. Further, most home buyers are not looking for a landscape that represents a chore to maintain, or additional costs to maintain. Finally, Studio City residents have become more eco-friendly and recognize that California is always either in a drought, or on the brink of a drought. Ultimately, drought-resistant plants are the cheapest, most effective, solution to sprucing up your yard for curb appeal.
Head to your local Home Depot and grab fresh mulch, salvia plants, ornamental grasses, and bushy lavender; all of which are drought-resistant. The practical effect of the contrast between the vibrant colors of the plants, the exterior of your home, and the dark mulch cannot be understated; it directs the viewer’s eyes and presents your home in the best possible light. This project can cost you are $250.00
3. Invite Birds to Your Walkway
To be perfectly fair, most homeowners relish the notion of living in a serene environment, lush with natural beauty. If your home has a walkway leading from the street, or driveway, to your front door – you have a magical opportunity available to you. Assuming you’re heading to Home Depot anyways because of #2 above, pick up some honeysuckle as well. Honeysuckle is resistant to heat (unless you’ve been living under a rock, it gets very hot during the summer), drought-resistant, and can survive in shade.
Honeysuckle is a very versatile plant as well, it can be used as a vine, bush, or simple ground coverage. Add the fact that hummingbirds absolutely love the nectar from the honeysuckle plant and its calming scent, and it’s hard to understand why everyone doesn’t plant honeysuckle in their yards. Honeysuckle plants will run you around $20.
While there are a myriad of factors that go into assessing the value of a home, curb appeal is certainly one of those factors. Given how cheap it is to really spruce up your curb appeal, it would be foolish not to. At the Chernov Team we are dedicated to assisting our clients obtain the maximum value for their homes. We understand that the person who comes to the table most prepared leaves with the most, and the Chernov Team always leaves with the most.