It’s a fact: Homes with good curb appeal typically sell faster and for more money than less attractive homes of equal value. The outside of a home is its face to the world. Quality landscaping can help, but the thing potential buyers usually notice first is the house itself.
To remake the look of your home, you can spend anywhere from a few hundred dollars on paint to several thousand dollars on a complete refacing.
Paint
A fresh coat of paint is often all you need to improve the look of your home. Painting it a lighter color can sometimes even give the impression that it’s larger than it actually is. While painting it a darker shade may make it appear warmer and cosier.
It’s important to make sure your chosen color scheme matches the architectural style of your house. Some homes will look better in subtle shades, while others will be able to handle brighter, bolder tones. The stately lines of a Victorian home, for example, may be better able to handle more dramatic colors than a smaller Cape-Cod-style bungalow.
Different color schemes can create different looks. A monochromatic scheme can help balance a house’s appearance, while bright colors on trim and around doorways can create visual focal points.
Refacing
Covering over worn clapboard with crisp new vinyl siding can make an older home appear new again. Vinyl is also extremely durable -- good quality vinyl siding can last for 40-or-more years -- and comes in a variety of different colors and styles, some with texture that can create attractive shadow patterns.
If you’re replacing the siding on your home, make sure to choose a shade that complements your roof. Your home’s roof can account for a large percentage of your home’s visual exterior. If the shingles are stained or damaged, you may want to consider a new roof.
Mixing-and-matching complementary facing materials -- one on the ground floor and another on the second floor -- can be visually appealing and a great way to save money. For example, you can face the bottom level with more costly brick or stone and cover the upper level with stucco, vinyl siding or cedar shakes.
Sometimes it’s not necessary to reface an entire home to make a dramatic difference. Power washing existing siding and replacing any damaged slats may be enough to make it look like new again.
Windows and Doors
Adding shutters to your windows and painting them a contrasting color can really make the front of a house pop. They’re also relatively inexpensive and easy to install.
If your windowsills and frames look shabby, consider removing and replacing them and maybe installing window boxes you can fill with colorful flowers to make your home appear warm and welcoming.
Replacing a cheap front door with a quality wood or steel door can make a huge difference to the look of your home. The front entrance tends to draw the eye in more than any other part of the house, so improving its appearance is money well spent. If your home has no front porch or overhang, adding pillars and extending the roof out over the front door may make if appear far more grand.
Extras
A tired looking garage can drag down the look of your property so it’s a good idea to apply any upgrades you make to the exterior of your home to your garage as well.
You can improve the look of boring or cracked concrete steps by refacing them with stone or brick or, for less money, fresh-poured concrete steps can be given a ragged edge to make them look very much like real stone.
Less expensive exterior upgrades such as new light fixtures, doormats, house numbers, a porch swing or even a new mailbox can all improve the look of your home without requiring a substantial financial investment.
Also, before making any change to the exterior of your home, drive around your neighborhood for inspiration. Daring to be different may make your home stand out, but it may also make it more difficult to sell. Choosing a style that will blend in harmoniously with the other homes on your street will usually pay off best at resale time.
Published on July 13, 2007