4 Easy and Cheap Curb Appeal Ideas to Sell Your Home Fast

You’ve heard this term thrown around among friends, colleagues and Realtors® in your sphere, but what does it actually mean?

 

 

 

Before you jump into this task, buy up a storm and hunt for your garden gloves, we suggest a practical approach before the action starts. First, start by knowing how much your home is worth. You can find that out for free with our home valuation tool. Second, you should decide what your budget is for this project. This first decision can only help you determine where you should prioritize your attention.

 

We suggest taking a photo of the home’s exterior as if it were the photo you’ll use on your online listing. Look if anything negative catches your eye or if something positive stands out. Also, use the photo as a before and after reference to see how big a difference this project will make.

 

 

No one can resist a freshly painted door, better yet, no one can resist a freshly painted colorful door. It creates a welcoming impression, it brightens up the space and makes your home stands out from the rest.

 

When repainting, take the opportunity to try a lively color or add an accent color to your existing exterior scheme. Colors like orange, blue, yellow and green are a great hit and we discuss even more desirable colors in this article. Even though this article refers to Eichlers and Mid-Century Homes, the paint colors listed are popular for the front doors of all homes. We recommend trying the tried and true trick of patch testing before tackling the entire door.

 

Curb appeal tip cost: Paint for a project of this size should cost no more than $20.

 

 

Your new curb appeal doesn’t stop at the end of the day. Brighten up your home (literally) by highlighting the pathways and plants with landscape lighting. Not only will make the space more attractive, but you’ll also make it safer. Try using solar landscape lighting, they will save you a lot of money on your energy bill.

 

Curb appeal tip cost: It shouldn’t cost you more than $50 – &100. You can find these 6-pack solar lights at Target.

 

 

Plants and flowers are a guaranteed hit when sprucing up your curb appeal. It adds that extra “this home is loved” feeling. In California, planting native drought-resistant plants adds an extra element of low maintenance for prospective buyers. Local is always better, but you can pretty much plant whatever your heart fancies.

 

Curb appeal tip cost: $100 to $200, depending on how much space you want to fill.

 

 

According to Zillow, sellers who hire professionals to get their home ready for listing spend an average of $6,570, part of which includes lawn care and gardening. Sellers spend the most in San Jose, with an average of $7,755. We are of the opinion, it can be one of the least-expensive steps you can take to improve curb appeal. You only need some weed and feed treatment from your nearest garden shop and dust off your lawn mower. You can also consider installing new sod, if you feel your lawn needs a little more than a pick-me-up or if it’s riddled with weeds.

 

The lawn is a big part of that first impression image people get from your home. It doesn’t have to be expensive but it does require a little bit of elbow grease, which definitely pays off in the end.

 

Curb appeal tip cost: : $15 for the grass seed, and $0.65 per square foot for the new sod.

 

 

Perfecting your curb appeal can be as cheap and easy as 1,2,3…4. With a low budget and lots of love, you can completely transform the first impression your home creates and have a little family side project at the same time. If you have any questions about this article, or you’re interested in more tips to improve your home’s value before selling, you can either reach out to us directly for a free, no obligations consult, or you can join our free Home Selling Seminar on August 23^rd at 7:00 pm (PST) where we’ll answer several of your burning questions about selling your home in today’s tough market. If you can’t make the seminar, we will send you the recording afterward. You can sign up here.