Whether you are looking to sell your house in the near future or simply want to impress your neighbors, the truth is that the overall appearance of your home’s exterior is important. However, most home owners feel as though they have to spend a lot of money and make drastic changes in order to improve their home’s curb appeal, even though this does not necessarily have to be the case. In fact, there are all kinds of changes that you can make as a home owner to make your house stand out from the rest in your neighborhood; some are do-it-yourself, while others may require the help of a professional contractor.
1) Painting. For starters, many home owners simply do not realize what a huge difference a fresh coat of paint can make on your home’s exterior. This is true whether you have a home with aluminum siding, brick, or just about any other material. Making a huge difference can really be as simple as taking the time and spending the small amount of money to re-paint the trim around your home. This can include anything from window and door trim to your porch and anything in between. Try going with a color that contrasts with the rest of your home to give the painted areas a crisp and clean appearance. For example, if you have a brick home, painting the doors and window trim white is a great way to make your house stand out.
2) New Doors. You may find this hard to believe, but one of the first things people tend to notice about a home when they see it from the outside is its front door. Consider having a contractor come out to install a new one, or, if you are handy enough, you may be able to do this yourself. There are many different styles of doors to choose from that can make your home look great, including French and double doors. A project like this can be as inexpensive as a couple hundred dollars.
3) New Siding or Brick Work. This is one that will require the help of a professional contractor and tends to be a more expensive project. However, it will make the largest impact on the overall appearance of your home. If you are on a budget, consider having touch up work done rather than having your entire house done. For example, if you have a brick home with siding in select areas, simply have the siding replaced. You might be surprised at how much of a difference this can make.
4) Add Charm. You would be surprised at just how inexpensive it can be to add small bits of charm to your home. You can do this by simply adding plants and hanging flower baskets around your home, or adding furniture such as a table and chairs to the porch.
5) Lighting. Never underestimate the effect of ambient lighting at your home. This can be done on your own, but for the best outcome, you should consider hiring a professional to install lighting around your home. This can really make it stand out at night and literally put the spotlight on your proud investment.
