The spring weather is in full force, which means that the spring market is nearly here! We’ve seen an increase in inventory throughout March across the Brantford real estate market and the Brant County real estate market. If you’ve considered selling your home, there’s one major thing that can make it a lot easier to enhance the aesthetic of your home from the curb. You’ve probably guessed it by now, curb appeal! Curb appeal is really important, it’s the first impression a potential buyer sees when the drive up to your home. The best part about creating curb appeal is that you can do it yourself and it doesn’t have to be expensive.
Of course you can take it a lot further if you choose, but simple things like painting the front door and the garage door can make a huge difference when someone is driving past your home. We’ve put together a bit of a list that can help you to enhance your homes curb appeal.
1. Painting the Front Door
Add some curb appeal to your home by painting the front door! This is a budget friendly DIY project that can really enhance the look of your home. Stop by your local Lowes or Home Depot to grab some paint swatches and hold them up to your door to make sure the colour will match the rest of your home. You can either go bold and pick a colour that will really pop against your home or keep it simple with a nice coat of black paint. We suggest buying a good paint as the door can take a lot of abuse and the last thing you want is someone opening the door and paint chipping off.
2. Install a New Door Handle
A new door handle can add that little extra touch to your freshly painted door. There are so many styles to choose from and they typically go on sale around this time of year. We suggest picking a colour that will contrast nicely against your door to really add that wow factor. If you really want to take it up a notch, you can buy a smart door handle that has an electric code and will also integrate with some smart home systems such as Google Home or Alexa.
3. Landscaping
You can really enhance your homes curb appeal with some landscaping. This doesn’t have to be adding interlocking brick or putting in patio stones, etc. It can be something as simple as changing out some existing plants in your current garden. If you don’t have a garden, putting a small garden in can also make a big difference.
Depending on the size of your home, you’ll want to consider a garden that is proportionate. For example, if you have a tall home, planting some taller shrubs at the back and some shorter shrubs at the front will give you a nice gentle slope into your yard. Whether you’re putting a new garden in or working on your existing garden, make sure to edge it well. A nice crisp clean edge shows attention to detail and will be sure to satisfy any savvy gardener.
4. A Cheerful Doormat
What better way for guests to be greeted than by a nice cheerful doormat as soon as they step onto your front porch. Not only does it look great but it serves a purpose, keeping the dirt on the outside of the home. You can check out Candela & Co for some great doormats that everyone will love.
5. The Mailbox
This one seems like a bit of a silly one, but it’s not! We know a lot of the newer homes now have community mailboxes, meaning you don’t actually get any mail delivered to your house. However, even if you have a community mailbox adding one to your home can be a great option to add some pops of colour and some additional texture.
6. Exterior Lighting
Exterior lighting can really transform the look of your home at nighttime. When selecting what type of exterior lights you want to use, consider the style of your home and the functionality of the lights. Are they intended for more ambient lighting or they lighting up your entry way so your guests can see where they are going? If you’re really look to enhance the curb appeal of your home at night, integrating some landscape lighting into your gardens can be another great way to make your home feel cozy. You can either use solar landscape lighting or purchase some low voltage lighting. Canadian tire has some great low voltage lighting that can directly plugged into a regular socket. Super easy and no special wiring involved!
6. Planters
Planters can be another great way to add some greenery to your home, especially if your home has darker brick/siding as the planters will really pop against it. You can either buy pre-made planters or make your own! Making your own planters is super easy and can be a lot more cost effective, especially if you plan on doing more than one. Planters also don’t have to just be flowering plants, they can be small trees such as a majesty palm that will add some more height. Visit your local garden center and talk a staff member there and explain what you’re looking for and they will be able to help! Either way, some greenery will be sure to help enhance your homes curb appeal.
So there you have it! These are just a few ideas that are relatively simple, don’t cost a lot of money to do and you can do yourself for a weekend project. Whether you plan on selling your home or not, the above will be sure to add plenty of curb appeal. If you do plan on selling your home, we would be happy to help you! You can always contact us for a free home valuation and we can even provide some insight into some great ways to you could add value to the sale of your home.
