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10+ Easy Exterior Updates for Instant Curb Appeal

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Last Updated on June 29, 2023 by lindseymahoney

Today I am sharing quick and easy exterior updates to instantly improve the curb appeal of your home.

When working on our flip houses (and family homes), we did major work to the exterior to improve curb appeal.

Curb appeal is the first impression you give to potential buyers and therefore is extremely important. The exterior of your home sets the tone for what buyers can expect inside the house and will attract more buyers.


10 Exterior Updates to Improve Curb Appeal

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1 | Paint the Exterior

Check out these 10 tips to improve curb appeal and freshen up your home | Building Bluebird

A fresh coat of paint can make the exterior of a home look brand new again! Depending on your budget and the condition of your home, you may need a little or a lot of paint.

Adding a pop of color to your front door or painting the chipped concrete on your porch can make your exterior more welcoming and put together. 

We freshened up the exterior of our Toledo flip house property with lots of paint. The shutters, trim, attic vent, and garage door are painted with a fresh new color.

I also spray-painted the address numbers that were old and rusted.

2 | Update Exterior Lighting

Check out these 10 tips to improve curb appeal and freshen up your home | Building Bluebird

Porch lights are like the eyes of your home. Updating the light fixture can completely change the look of a dated entryway

Adding solar lights to your walkway or spotlights on your home can also help people see your house in a whole new light (pun intended).

3 | Front Door Updates

Check out these 10 tips to improve curb appeal and freshen up your home | Building Bluebird

Replacing an entire door can be a pricey upgrade, but worth it if the door is in terrible shape and not working properly. We replaced the door at our flip house and it made a huge difference cosmetically and efficiency-wise.

In many instances, you can get a similar result by painting the door and swapping out the hardware for a more modern look. This is much less expensive and can give the front entryway a nice facelift.

4 | Replace Dated Glass Windows

This can be an inexpensive update and makes a big difference. In our previous home, the front door was sandwiched between two yellow-tinted, diamond glass windows.

We replaced the glass with a regular window and not only did it get rid of the 70’s feel, but it also brought more light into the front entrance of our home. This cost us about $400.

Here is the front door before:

Dated glass windows in the front entry of a home

And that same view after with new glass windows.

Check out these 10 tips to improve curb appeal and freshen up your home | Building Bluebird

5 | Add Greenery With Potted Plants

Check out these 10 tips to improve curb appeal and freshen up your home | Building Bluebird

Add some life and greenery to your porch with big potted plants.

Don’t forget the tip for creating a visually appealing pot – thriller, filler, spiller!

A floral wreath is another affordable way to add greenery to your front entry.

6 | Update Your Address Numbers

Check out these 10 tips to improve curb appeal and freshen up your home | Building Bluebird

This is an easy exterior update that can be done with the purchase of new modern numbers or painting the current numbers.

Check out these easy exterior updates to improve curb appeal and freshen up your home | Building Bluebird

My favorite curb appeal update for older homes is to customize an address plaque with your full address and hang it next to the door. The plaque creates a stately feel and is perfect for older homes.

If your home is historically registered, display that plaque as well!

7 | Add Visual Interest with Shutters

Shutters add a lot of character to your home with little effort. Think of shutters as the mascara on the eyes of your home, they help to make your home look more welcoming and awake!

The exterior updates of this colonial-style home below ooze with curb appeal. The owners nailed all of the tips highlighted in this blog post.

The exterior is painted a fresh coat of white, the shutters painted black, new black gutters, updated address numbers, and a welcoming front entrance.

Check out these easy exterior updates to improve curb appeal and freshen up your home | Building Bluebird

This Toledo, Ohio Airbnb has so much charm. The shutters, lighting, and bright paint color welcome all guests. I can’t get enough of this gorgeous exterior!

8 | Create Gathering Spots on the Porch

Check out these 10 tips to improve curb appeal and freshen up your home | Building Bluebird

If you have a front porch, add a swing or rocking chairs to draw people toward the front of your home and invite them to stay.

Check out these easy exterior updates to improve curb appeal and freshen up your home | Building Bluebird

Staging your home to sell is about showing off a lifestyle that the buyers will want.

Who doesn’t want a welcoming front porch where you can hang out with friends and family?

9. Weed Flowerbeds & Add Mulch

Check out these easy exterior updates to improve curb appeal and freshen up your home | Building Bluebird

This is a small one but will make a huge difference! A fresh-cut lawn and flower beds with new mulch show potential buyers that this home is loved and taken care of.

A little sweat equity with weeding and laying mulch will go a long way to improve the curb appeal. If you are feeling really motivated, consider adding unique garden edging around the flower beds.

Check out these easy exterior updates to improve curb appeal and freshen up your home | Building Bluebird

If a buyer pulls up to a house where the exterior is in disrepair, it sets off red flags that the home may have hidden issues from neglect.

The historic Bosler House underwent a huge exterior renovation to create jaw-dropping curb appeal.

The interior renovations with before and after images are available as well!

10 | Wash the Siding and Windows

Check out these easy exterior updates to improve curb appeal and freshen up your home | Building Bluebird

Wash away the grime on your home with a good power wash.

And while you are at it, wash your windows too! When windows have been washed, they let in much more sunlight and look beautiful from the outside too!

11 | Hang Window Boxes

Hang window boxes for a quick exterior update that will add tons of curb appeal | Building Bluebird

One of the quickest ways to add charm to your home is with window boxes! These days there are tons of options to easily install window boxes and keep your flowers alive.


These budget-friendly and easy exterior ideas are sure to improve the curb appeal and make your home stand out!


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Lilly Dodd

Monday 23rd of May 2022

I can see the improvements. They all made great improvements to the outside of the home.

lindseymahoney

Monday 23rd of May 2022

Thank you!

Rachel Frampton

Monday 31st of August 2020

I'm planning to upgrade my home's exterior by installing a new door in it, which is why I'm currently looking for a service that may do the job perfectly. Well, you're also right about the importance of adding pop color to the front door because this will help elevate the house's ambiance. I'll also keep in mind to update the Porch lights, particularly on its walkway area.

lindseymahoney

Monday 31st of August 2020

Those sound like great exterior updates! Good luck with your home projects!