7 Major League Upgrades to Increase Your Curb Appeal

Improve your curb appeal with these tips from Hometalk.

As the winter blows over and makes space for warmer weather, it’s time to bring your attention back to your hibernating home exterior. What your home needs after all that cold weather, is some quick upgrades, to revive your property and increase your curb appeal. With these home run makeover ideas, refreshing your house for spring will be a breeze.

Revive Your Front Door

Image: Hometalker Susan / Living Rich on Less

Your front door is like your home’s smile: If it’s bright and inviting, it’s much more likely to impress. Give your front door a refreshing paint job, so that it looks crisp and new, and even update the hardware, to create some variety and revive your style. (See how to DIY it here)

Add Interest with Wood

Image: Hometalker Connie / Connie Nikiforoff Designs

 Whether it’s a fence, shutters, trim, or even a sweet porch-top pergola, like this, wooden details are a great way to add some character and detail to your home. Be careful not to overload your exterior with additions, but some eye-catching adjustments might be just the thing to make your house stand out. (Get instruction for this project here)

Bring out Furniture

Image: Hometalker Courtney / Fry Sauce and Grits

 Make your home look comfortable and happily inhabited, by bringing some colorful outdoor furniture onto your porch or patio. You can even set up a mini vignette, by bringing out a small table or stool and including seasonal details or adding some durable art. (Learn how here)

Makeover Your Mailbox

Image: Hometalker Brandi / Don’t Disturb This Groove

This easy project is a quick way to update the look of your home exterior. Turn an old, drooping mailbox into a sparkling piece of art, by adding a fresh coat of paint or some interesting detail, or by adjusting some withered beams. Add some spring color, with a small flower bed at the base of your mailbox. (Learn more about this project)

Update Outdoor Lighting

Image: Hometalker Laura / Pet Scribbles

 Outdoor lighting is not only a convenient feature, but one that adds a lot of curb cred to your home. Installing lighting makes your outdoor space functional throughout the daytime and evening, adds security to your property, and constantly showcases your beautiful home exterior. If your current lights aren’t having the desired effect, try giving them a color or style makeover. (Learn how here)

 Add Plants and Flowers

Image: Hometalker Pam / DIY Design Fanatic

Nothing will add that pop of pretty to your property quite like a well-kept bed of flowers or a vibrant container garden. Bring large potted plants onto your porch, grow colorful buds in window boxes — anything that brings in bright, natural colors is a shoo-in to increase your home’s aesthetic value. (Learn more here)

Build Unique Features

Image: Hometalker Kristin / My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Remember, you can have your home look pretty and put together without having it look like every other home on your block. Add curb appeal with distinguishing updates, like a DIY stone outdoor stone fireplace, or a mosaic retaining wall. Features that are unique and beautiful will make your home memorable to visitors.(Instructions here)

Get more fantastic tips, tricks and inspirations to help you update your curb appeal, at the curb appeal page on Hometalk.

See the homes featured in the cover photo and more beautiful homes like them here.

Home Improvements to Consider Before Listing Your Home

Preparing to list your home? What improvements should you make prior to putting your home up for sale? Staging, de-cluttering, painting, mulching, and updating are just a few ideas to prepare your home for sale. It is imperative that sellers prepare!

Preparing to list your home? What home improvements should you do and what ones have the greatest return on investment? When you are putting your home up for sale, you have two main goals; a timely sale, and receiving the best possible price. In order to achieve these goals, your home needs to present itself in the best possible light. While every home buyer has different ideas about what the “perfect home” is, you as the seller need to ensure that your home appeals to the widest variety of home buyers possible.

So What Does This Mean:

1. De-cluttering: This is always the first thing because it makes your home look much more organized — even down to how many items you have on your fireplace — and it make your rooms look much larger. Organizing goes hand in hand with de-cluttering as buyers want to see how they can organize their stuff.
2. Paint and Clean: First, you must make certain that your color palate throughout your home equals or is superior to your competition. No, buyers cannot see beyond that. If you seek professional advice, you will paint the correct colors. Touch up, freshen up and clean everywhere! Wallpaper is a huge negative, so consider taking it down prior to listing.
3. Updating: If you need granite or new appliances, and you are trying to maximize your profit and your competition has it, you better have it as well! Perhaps you need updated light fixtures or door knobs? If so, then do it! Buyers typically consist of two working spouses or partners and have busy lives. You must be proactive and make sure your home equals or exceeds your competition!
4. Exterior: The same holds true for the outside. Fresh mulch, flowers, and power washing (if required) are essential! Remember, this is the first thing that a buyer sees.
5. Staging: Professional staging or, at a minimum, a stager’s advice is essential! It is a proven fact that a staged home sells for more money and in a much quicker amount of time. I utilize the service of Julie Pelly, owner of Creative Staging. I strongly recommend to sellers that she and her team evaluate every home prior to going on the market. Some homes need redecorating, accents, or perhaps updated or missing furniture at every price point. Typically, a stager will use items in a seller’s home and redistribute them.

Preparing your home for sale can seem overwhelming at first. Home Improvements may or may not be necessary, but be receptive to doing them — keeping in mind your return on investment. Utilize a real estate professional and home staging expert to help you develop a customized plan of action. The results will be amazing and the return on investment will be worth it! You must do everything possible to make your home stand out from your competition! Lighting rooms before showings and having your home show in the best possible way will pay back dividends.Put your best foot forward to stay ahead of the curve. Remember, a home buyer may only visit your home once. Are you totally prepared?

Expert Open House Tips for Buyers & Sellers

Coldwell Banker agents Frank Isoldi and Paula Clark share their expert open house tips for both buyers and sellers.

Spring is the busiest time in real estate. A quick drive around the neighborhood on a Sunday afternoon will attest to the fact that that also means it’s open house season. So, whether you’re a buyer reserving 1-4pm every Sunday for visiting open houses, or a seller spending your Saturday preparing for your own open house, we have a few tips to make sure you get the most out of this popular real estate tool.

For sellers, it’s all about the prep work. A few extra steps like having professional photos taken and cleaning up storage areas can go a long way in making your home appeal to potential buyers.

For buyers, a little homework is required as well. Come prepared to the open house with a “buyer toolkit,” complete with measuring tape, smart phone and plenty of questions.

In the below video, Coldwell Banker agents Frank Isoldi and Paula Clark share their expert tips for both buyers and sellers at a real estate open house.

Whether you’re looking to sell your home, or buy your first, visit coldwellbanker.comfor more resources on the real estate process.

Market Snapshot April 2015