Value Added Outdoor Projects
Value Added Outdoor Projects
Consider where you spend your money so you invest in value added outdoor projects.
Whether you’re getting ready to sell or just improving curb appeal, remember that first impressions are everything. The outside of your home can be just as important as the inside. Sprucing up your yard and the frontal appearance of your home can help increase the value of your house.
Here are some simple updates and upgrades to increase your curb appeal and bring in better offers from your potential buyers.
Give Your Front Door Some Color
It’s amazing what a fresh coat of paint can do. Paint your front door a bold color that makes your home stand out while complimenting its other features. For example, try a red door on a white house or yellow door on a gray house. If you have shutters, painting these will also add some instant color without having to repaint the entire house. And, you should be able to paint your front door and all your shutters in one day for $100 or less, says DIY Network.
If you aren’t a great painter, you also can jazz up your front door by hanging a decorative wreath or displaying your house numbers.
Upgrade Your Light Fixtures
Outdoor light fixtures accent your home’s landscaping and features. Better Homes & Gardens recommends using low-voltage lighting because it will add an inviting ambiance to your front and backyard as well as provide a safety element that potential buyers will appreciate.
If you don’t have the time or budget for wired lighting, solar path lights and lanterns are easy to install and relatively affordable. And you won’t have to turn them on or set a timer when it gets dark!
Spruce Up Your Landscaping
Overgrown shrubs, brown grass and unkempt leaves can overshadow your home and distract from its best features. A well-manicured lawn, trimmed trees and healthy flowers and plants can do wonders to boost your home’s outward attractiveness. In an article for HGTV’s FrontDoor, Kristine Ginsberg of Elite Staging and Redesign suggests using lawn edging to make your yard look more professional and clean. This can also help define your driveway and pathways in the backyard.
In addition, to add an instant green boost to your grass, use a nontoxic and environmentally friendly lawn spray—think Alice in Wonderland painting the roses red.
Pristine Pool
A swimming pool may or may not be a major selling factor for a home. However, if you have a pool, algae or stains can quickly become a turn off for potential buyers. Removing pool stains can be tricky and you need to know what kind of stains you have. InTheSwim’s blog has a color chart to help determine what kind of stain you have. For example, if it’s green, it is generally from algae or another organic compound. If it is red, it is from rust, iron or even berries from a tree or bush.
Once you identify what kinds of stains you have, test the strength of the stains, and then you’ll know how to go about cleaning it. Most metal and algae stains can be removed with stain-removing chemicals, but iron and copper stains are more difficult and may require draining and pressure-washing your pool.
Much like a coat of paint and new carpet makes a home more inviting to potential buyers, value added outdoor projects begin charming buyers before they get out of the car.
