5 Easy Home Improvements to Increase Curb Appeal

While many realtors are claiming that the housing market is on the rebound and that home sales are increasing, there are many improvements that you can make to your house to increase curb appeal.  Outdoor home improvements do not just have to be about selling your home.  Improving the outside of your home can increase safety as well as update and beautify your home for your own satisfaction.

1 – Install Driveway Lights

Driveway lights are an excellent way to improve the appearance of your home at night.  Most systems are fairly simple to install in a single day.  Driveway lighting can be solar powered or run off of your home electricity.  For a more complicated installation, you can choose to install recessed lighting into your driveway.  Based on your skills, though, you may need a contractor to complete this type of installation.  Lighting the driveway has some obvious safety benefits – it will be easier for visitors to locate your home and will make the area safer for walking at night.  This may be an important upgrade if any of your residents or visitors are elderly as better lighting will help to avoid potential falls.

Improving your outdoor lighting fixtures can have a substantial affect on the appearance of your home.  Many new homes are built with a rather cookie cutter approach with entire neighborhoods looking virtually the same.  Changing the fixtures on your home is one way that you can emphasis the architecture of your home or show off your unique sense of style.  Lighting fixtures are fairly simple for the average homeowner to replace using tools typically found in the home.  Minka Lavery Outdoor Lighting and Hampton Bay Outdoor Lighting are both excellent choices.

While landscaping is something that takes time, proper maintenance of your lawn and yard is something that should occur weekly.  A clean and neat appearance is virtually impossible if lawns are not mowed and hedges aren’t trimmed.  Pay attention to edging the lawn as well.  Take a long approach to landscaping and understand the growing patterns and needs of any plants you decide to use.  Choosing low maintenance ground cover or xeriscaping plants is an excellent way to cut down on the water needs of your yard while improving the curb appeal of your home.

Doors are often overlooked when considering valuable home improvements, but they shouldn’t be.  Having a clean, neat front door is a statement of love and care for the home.  While your yard may be the first thing that visitors notice, the front door will also leave a lasting impression.  Doors can be improved by staining or painting.  If you decide to replace the door instead or add some type of glass or screen door, you are likely looking at a two person job.

Retractable awnings are both appealing and utilitarian in nature.  An awning system installed on your home will protect from sun, wind and water damage.  The result is less maintenance costs in the long run.  For windows facing south, awnings are a blessing that will remove the need for costly carpet and furniture replacements or reupholstering due to sun bleaching.  The ability to roll away the awning means that you keep the flexibility to let light into the area whenever you want.  Roll up awnings can be made from a wide variety of materials from cloth to metal and will last for years. 

These are just a few of the ways that you can add value and appeal to your home fairly simply.  Driveway lighting and outdoor light fixtures increase the safety and visibility of your home.  Cleaning up your landscaping and improving the front door are all about looks.  Roll up awnings are an excellent way to change the look of your home while protecting it from the elements.