Considering that 97% of National Association of Realtors members think curb appeal is a deciding factor for potential buyers, investing in your home’s exterior can help you sell your home at a higher price. Boosting your home’s curb appeal can increase its resale value by 5% to 11%, which is especially beneficial in markets with lower home prices. For example, home resale prices in Pittsburgh have been decreasing by 8.1 percent year-over-year since June 2022. In such markets, you can sell your home for a higher price by simply boosting your curb appeal.
However, over 52% of 2,000 American homeowners surveyed as part of a recent study believe their home lacks curb appeal. Furthermore, 76% of them have no idea how to achieve their dream exterior despite planning numerous projects. If you relate and worry about the difficulties of creating good curb appeal, don’t worry! Use the following tips to simplify the process and improve your home’s exterior.
Replace siding
The average lifespan of your home’s siding depends on its material and its condition. However, environmental water damage causes it to deteriorate much more quickly and makes your home look unappealing. You may need a new siding if you live in places like Pittsburgh that have a lot of precipitation, as it gets around 38.3 inches of rain each year. It is the 5th rainiest city in the US, receiving 151 days of rainfall. Living in such areas can damage your home. The water from heavy rainfall can clog your gutters and seep into the siding, causing it to rot and ruin your home’s exterior.
However, replacing damaged sidings with high-quality materials can protect your home’s structure and boost its appearance. The cost of siding replacement varies between $2 and $9 per square foot. You can compare estimates from multiple Pittsburgh Siding Replacement experts to get the best price. Yet, the cheapest option isn’t always the best choice. Considering other factors like experience, reviews, and reputation would be best before hiring siding contractors. A botched siding job can cause worse problems later on, which is why you should choose professionals who ensure the highest-quality care for your home.
Your home’s siding protects it from harmful external elements, keeping away the damage from hail, rain, wind, and extreme temperatures. It also prevents insects and other pests from invading your space. However, continuous wear and tear from the weather can create cracks and blisters on its surface. These gaps let water enter your home’s exterior and harm its structure. This extensive water damage can also grow mold between and underneath the sidings, which can cause health problems later on. Considering the scope of these issues, replacing the siding of your home is essential to not only boosting your curb appeal but also increasing the longevity of your home.
Nurture your garden
Maintaining your garden is an easy way to give your curb a fresh look instantly. Overgrown weeds, bare spots, and wilted plants dampen your curb appeal. However, you can breathe life into your front yard by trimming the hedges and taking care of your plans. A gardening project is a fun and inexpensive way to boost your curb appeal. However, if you have a green thumb and enjoy gardening, you can keep your garden happy yourself.
Furthermore, you can also take on more extensive gardening projects by landscaping and creating a more appealing layout. The average ROI of landscaping depends on the scale of your project, but choosing an innovative design can offer higher returns. The plants you choose also contribute to your home’s resale value, so choose the ones that enhance your curb appeal the most. You can reseed your lawn, add large specimen trees, and add color to your landscape. Instead of wasting valuable time trying to revive old dead plants, you can install new varieties to make your garden stand out and attract potential buyers.
Clean gutters
The excessive rainfalls and storms of Pittsburgh can cause debris and twigs to accumulate in your gutters, causing your roof to sag and extensively damage your property. Water can gather on your rooftop and seep through your walls, ruining the interior and causing large spots to appear on the exterior. This excess water can also spill onto your garden or driveway and cause the growth of unwanted plants or algae that can ruin the appearance of your front yard.
Cleaning your gutter can prevent expensive damages and instantly make your home look cleaner. Though cleaning gutters is a simple process you can also do yourself, hiring professionals can save you time and from potential injuries. Considering this, it would be best to ensure the right safety precautions when cleaning your roof’s gutters.
Paint the front door
Having an old door with chipped or faded paint can create a negative impression of the rest of your house. Anyone visiting your home will go through your front door, so having a new and appealing door is essential for a positive impact. For example, a potential buyer will expect the rest of the home to be unkept and rusty if the door is not well-maintained. It is the first and last impression, so make it good.
Painting your front door is a relatively simple and inexpensive project. On the other hand, you can purchase door paint for $15 to $60 per gallon if you want to DIY. However, try to select a color that matches the exterior and also feels welcoming. Painting your front door can be a fun way to express your style and make your home feel more inviting!
Conclusion
People judge a book by its cover. Similarly, many potential home buyers will judge your home by its exterior. Even if you’re not looking to sell your home, wouldn’t it be nice to feel good as soon as you look at it? Boosting your curb appeal is not just about adding value but also about creating a house that you’re proud of. In a line full of numerous identical houses, have a home that’s as beautiful on the outside as on the inside.