How to Increase Curb Appeal for Selling your Home

While it may seem like it’s about cosmetics, curb appeal can have a significant impact on the value of your home.

Curb appeal can be the colour of your home, doors, windows, an added walkway, driveway conditions, or even just trees and shrubs. It’s the finishing touches on a ready-to-sell home.

With real estate prices climbing high over the last year, fewer buyers have the money to spend on renovations after purchasing their home. That means more and more prospective buyers are looking for a home without a giant to-do list.

Maintaining curb appeal demonstrates homeowner pride and shows that you have been taking care of your property – suggesting there won’t be any hidden, expensive issues the new owners will have to fix.

Here are 10 inexpensive and easy ways you can increase the curb appeal of your home!

1. Painting

It can get expensive to paint the entire exterior of your home, but a new coat of paint on trim or featured sections of the exterior can bring new life into the entire paint job. If you’re short on time or budget, pick out a new colour for your door to brighten things up!

2. Electrical

Add ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) to outlets that could be exposed to water. This includes on the exterior of your home, but also consider adding them to outlets in your garage, laundry room, bathroom, or basement. It’s a good, cheap way to take one more item off you buyer’s list!

3. Caulking

No single task has as big of a visual impact as caulking! Re-caulk around sinks and where bathroom vanities or counters meet the wall. Bathtubs and showers will need any caulking that’s collected mildew scraped away and reapplied. Don’t forget about window frames too if you have older windows.

4. Leak and Drips

This is more of a regular maintenance issue, but these leave behind stains or marks that need to get cleaned up. Check for leaks around toilet bases and under the sink (it’s usually the collar on the sink tap that needs to be taken apart, cleaned, and reinstalled).

Old washers are usually the culprits of a leaky tap, you probably don’t need to spring for a new tap. Check out this quick Youtube video tutorial on changing a tap washer. Once all leaks and drips are sealed up, dry out and clean up what they left behind either.

Have Questions?

The home selling process can be confusing and stressful, but we’re here to help!

5. Appliances

Try and remove signs of wear from your appliances. This can improve the appearance of major selling points (e.g kitchens!) but it can also be a safety measure that will earn you bonus points in an inspection.

For example, clean out or replace the grease trap screen on your range hood because once it’s saturated in grease it can become a fire hazard.

6. Door handles and locks

There’s almost nothing more annoying at the start of a home showing than stuck door handles and deadbolts. Replace these bits of hardware to make a quick update to your doors (even just the front door) and to prevent a sticky situation!

7. Decks and steps

You don’t have to go to the trouble of buying a whole new deck but replacing a few rotted boards and re-staining/painting can go a long way! A beautiful deck can be a huge selling point so don’t let some wear and tear distract from its potential.

8. Lighting

Make sure all your lightbulbs work and are connected to a wall switch (where applicable) – don’t give your buyers a reason to question the condition of your electrical system. Consider exchanging any bright light bulbs for warm light ones, this can make a space feel more inviting.

You could also add some overhead string lights to your deck to make it feel more like an entertainment space.

9. Exposed Styrofoam

This stuff was the best insulation you could get for a utility room, on a concrete wall, or in rim joists back in the day, but now it’s considered a hazard – and it’s an eyesore, making any space look unfinished. Cover it with drywall or have it removed wherever possible!

10. The green stuff

We’re saving one of the most important for last! Put some time into your yard, tending to garden beds, cleaning up leaves, keeping your lawn healthy, and seeding new grass where needed. Add potted shrubs by your front door if you don’t have beds, these are easy to find and create a polished look.

Trim back any trees or hedges that are blocking natural light into the home or looking overgrown but be careful to not reduce your home’s privacy if that’s a selling point.

You are all set!

These are some easy fixes you can do yourself to get your home ready for photos and viewings. It’s always worth your time to make small repairs that drastically improve the overall value of your home.

Plus, this list will help catch any issues a buyer or inspector might notice – and nothing ruins a deal like electrical or safety issues. Even though, by law, you’re not required to meet today’s code for older homes, taking the initiative to make your home safer makes for good conversation with the inspector.

Looking for More Resources?

For more advanced tips, check out our last blog post on how to prepare for a home inspection.