10 Quick Tips to Improve Your Curb Appeal

Today I am sharing 10 quick and easy tips to improve the curb appeal and exterior of your home. For all three of our flip houses, we did major work to the exterior to improve curb appeal. The exterior of your home 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 Tips to Improve Curb Appeal

1 | Paint the Exterior

For this first curb appeal tip, I don’t necessarily mean painting the entire exterior of your home, which can be costly. 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.

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

We freshened up the exterior of our Toledo flip house property with lots of paint. The shutters, trim, attic vent, and garage door were painted. I also spray-painted the address numbers that were old and rusted.

2 | Update Exterior Lighting

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

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 in the image below 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 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. Check out the full exterior updates here.

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.

5 | Add Greenery With Potted Plants

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

This is an easy update that can be done by purchasing new modern numbers, spray painting the old, existing ones, or my favorite for older homes – buy a plaque with your full address and hang it next to the door. The plaques give a stately feel and are perfect for older homes. If your home is historically registered, display that plaque as well!

I spray painted the existing address numbers on our house below.

7 | Add Visual Interest with Shutters

Shutters can 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!

This colonial-style home below oozes with curb appeal. The owners nailed all of the tips highlighted in this blog post. The exterior was painted a fresh coat of white, the shutters painted, new black gutters, updated address numbers, and a welcoming front entrance. Check out the full transformation of the interior of this home in a featured blog post!

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

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

This is a small one but will make a huge difference! A freshly cut lawn and mulched flower beds 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 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.

Check out a full tour of the historic Bosler House restoration and the beautiful garden in the image below! The interior renovations with before and after images are available as well!

10 | Wash the Siding and Windows

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 outside too!

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