Curb Appeal Ideas for 2018
Investopedia.com defines curb appeal as “the general attractiveness of a house or other piece of property from the sidewalk. This term is often used by Realtors trying to sell or evaluate a piece of property . . . Though not as easily measured as something like square footage, curb appeal plays an important role in property valuation.”
If you’re thinking about selling your home, you’ve probably heard your Realtor use that term. Repeatedly. That’s because it’s extremely important to make your home as appealing as possible to potential buyers, inside and out. In fact, a Zillow survey showed that real estate agents include curb appeal in their top five list of important factors for home sales. One agent said that, when he sells a home, strong curb appeal adds about ten percent to the value.
So, what should you do?
Photo by William Krause on Unsplash
First, imagine yourself looking for a new home (something you very well may be doing!). Before you commit to going to an open house or otherwise investigate a home that’s up for sale, you probably drive by that home to see the appearance of its exterior. If that house doesn’t grab your attention – and pretty quickly, at that – you’ll likely move on to the next home on your list.
And, that’s exactly what YOUR potential buyers are going to do. Before putting your home up for sale, walk around its exterior, putting yourself in the position of potential buyers. Write down what might harm the sale. Also drive by your home and pay attention to what you see. It’s perfectly normal, when you live in a home for a while, not to notice certain details anymore.
To boost your home’s appeal, you may end up painting your home or you might repair or replace your siding, gutters and downspouts and the like. You might fix broken sidewalks, spruce up your landscaping, put on a new front door and the like. All of those are good ideas, but, as Better Homes and Gardens points out, your roof can account for 40 percent of your home’s curb appeal.
Forty percent.
They therefore offer the following curb appeal ideas:
- Thoughtfully consider the best material for a new roof, making sure your choice will:
- Complement your home in the best way possible
- Attract potential buyers
- Tear off your old roof, rather than installing a new one over the current one; this will allow your roofing contractor to spot any defects that need attention before the new roof is installed
Photo by Steinar Engeland on Unsplash
HouseLogic.com points out that a new roof typically has a return on investment of 109 percent, adding that your roof’s condition is one of the very first things noticed by buyers – as well as appraisers as they assess your home. And, a low home appraisal can be a real stumbling block when you’re trying to sell your home. This article also points out that, if your neighbors have replaced their roofs, yours will look less appealing in contrast.
Contact the Roofing Specialists in Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina
Let us help! You can contact the roofing specialists at Camden Roofing and Construction online or by calling 704-858-2141. We are the go-to team for new roof installation as well as roof repairs, plus you can take advantage of our quality general handyman services. To help boost your home’s curb appeal, we can help with:
- Siding
- Gutter cleaning and repair
- Hanging and changing floodlights
- Garage doors
- Landscaping
- Painting
- Concrete work, including driveways and patios
- Porch carpentry
Plus, since you never know when the ideal buyer might be driving by your home, ask about our lawn care services!
(Featured Image: Photo by Evelyn Paris on Unsplash)