Tips for Improving the Curb Appeal of Your House

Thinking of putting your house on the market? Or are you tired of grimacing at the state of your driveway or front yard when you return from work? In these cases, and more, you might think about adding a bit of curb appeal to your home.

Done smartly and strategically, the right exterior home upgrades and improvements can boost curb appeal, making your home look like the most attractive house in the neighborhood and throughout all of Athens, Georgia. Today, let us show you some ideas for increasing curb appeal that will make your home look great without breaking the bank.

1. Improve your front door with a new color or a new look

Your front door is the first impression a guest or potential buyer will have of your home. You can make that first impression all the more positive by replacing or painting your front door in a new, fresh color. Vibrant, colorful doors are in style in Athens and beyond, so consider choosing a new door in a striking color or painting your door in a shade like red, yellow, orange, or bright blue.

As a bonus improvement, why not give your entry door a new knocker if the current one looks a little old and rusty? A new entry door knocker will make your door look that much more impressive and help the fresh paint job to really pop.

2. Repaint your fence

Don’t put your paintbrush away just yet! Keep it in hand and take it to your fence if it’s in need of repair and repainting. A freshly painted fence around your property can go a long way toward increasing your home’s curb appeal as a whole since it will elevate and enhance the other decorations and improvements you might decide to pursue.

While you’re at it, consider repairing or refurbishing your mailbox, too. Like your front door, it serves as an important initial impression for prospective homebuyers as it is one of the first things seen from the curb.

3. Give your vinyl siding a high-power pressure wash

It won’t matter if your home has the best windows, siding, or stone path if your guests can’t see them due to dirt and grime covering their surfaces. With that in mind, if you really want to add some curb appeal to your house, consider renting or purchasing a pressure washer and give your home a good scrub down. Pressure washing the vinyl siding of your home and any other hard surfaces like paths and porches will make it look brand new. You'll be surprised at just how much dirt a single pressure washing session can blast away!

Don’t forget to pressure wash your house numbers, too. Those brass or bronze numbers can add a lot of charm to the front of your home, but only if they sparkle in the sunshine.

4. Plant & decorate your home’s window boxes

Nothing makes a home look and feel more delightfully lived-in than well-maintained window boxes. If you don’t already have some, install a few along the sills of the windows at the front of your house, then prep them with quality soil.

The best part? You can get really creative about the types of plants that adorn your window boxes, especially with the mild climate here in Athens, GA, with choices ranging from colorful flowers and year-round green blooms to spices and herbs. Just remember to water your window boxes from time to time, so your plants flourish and continue to increase curb appeal.

5. Replace the windows on the front of your home

Of course, all that work for your window boxes won't do much good if the windows above them are cracked, streaked, or generally worn down. Now could be a great time to replace old windows with brand-new, energy-efficient windows.

Large, clear, high-quality windows can significantly boost your home's curb appeal and your home’s energy efficiency, especially if they are strategically placed. For example, a new picture window in front of your dining room table not only gives you a scenic view to look at while eating dinner, but also gives potential homebuyers a glimpse into your well-decorated home from the outside.

6. Install new outdoor light fixtures

Your outdoor light fixtures, including lights by your front door and any lampposts or lights near your fence, might need some attention if you want your entire property to look its best. New outdoor light fixtures can increase the value of your home, they aren’t too expensive, and are even installable by hand if you don’t want to pay for installation.

Feel free to get creative here – some light fixtures, for instance, might look old-fashioned, lending your home a more classical air that fits with other Athens homes and architecture. For modern homes in Athens, Georgia, look for light fixtures with clean lines and geometric features.

7. Dress up your front porch

If you like to relax on your front porch in the hot Georgia summers, you might as well spend some time on decorations and renovations to that porch that ensure it looks phenomenal. An idea to increase your home’s curb appeal could be to add decorations and new furniture to your porch. A rocking chair or outdoor sofa will give the space immediate value and demonstrate how future homeowners could use and enjoy it when they visit your house for a tour.

8. Add solar-powered roof panels

If you want to attract potential homebuyers and greatly increase your home’s value, consider installing solar panels on your roof. Some solar panels are better for adding curb appeal to your house than others, of course. The best solar panels are designed to look just like regular rooftop shingles, so they provide you with free electricity and good aesthetics at the same time.

Decide to add solar panels fast enough, and you might be able to take advantage of some solar panel tax credits from the federal government.

9. Mow the lawn

If you have a sea of green in your front yard and around the sides of your home, be sure to trim it regularly so the grass looks controlled and crisp, not wild and weedy to guests, neighbors, and homebuyers. This simple maintenance job is a good way to see immediate curb appeal benefits without undertaking any major remodeling projects.

10. Put your green thumb to work on garden beds

Garden beds – those colorful and delightful collections of bushes and flowers around a yard or porch – make many of the best Athens houses look even better. If you don’t already have some, consider planting a few garden beds of your own, especially in strategic spots like near the corners of your house or on either side of your porch steps, and you’ll quickly increase your home’s curb appeal.

Already have one or more garden beds? Give them some attention by refreshing the soil, watering the plants regularly, and swapping out old plants for new ones that are ready to draw attention to your home from passersby and house hunters alike.

11. Rework or renovate the path to the door

Remember the front door you spent all that effort replacing or repainting in the perfect color? Some of the effect will be lost if your guests or potential homebuyers don’t have a proper way to get to the door or if your entryway path is looking a bit rough. If your current path is a bit narrow or cracked, or if you are missing a path altogether, consider replacing it with new concrete blocks or, for added aesthetic elegance, cobblestone, or flagstone steps. A new, well-designed path to your front door will make your home even more inviting.

Increasing curb appeal and home value even more

These are just a handful of home remodeling tips and potential upgrades you can implement to make your home more appealing and increase the value of your home in Athens, GA. Of course, some of these curb appeal improvements are more cost-effective than others. But even with just a few easy updates and a little bit of sweat, you can make your house look like the best one on the block in no time.

New windows and entry doors in Athens, Georgia can be more affordable than you may think when you contact experts like Window World of Athens. Contact us today for assistance and window recommendations!