Curb Appeal – What is it?
Curb appeal is everything about a house and adjoining landscaping that contributes to the aesthetic beauty of the property. Architectural details, good color combinations, and a well-designed landscape contribute to the creation of good curb appeal.
Why is Curb Appeal Important?
Curb appeal is important to 71 percent of homebuyers when choosing their abode, according to a 2013 National Association of Realtors survey. Some realtors insist that as much as 50% of home buyers make their decision within seconds of pulling up in front of a house to buy or not to buy. It is a well-documented fact that homes with excellent curb appeal sell considerably faster and sellers can anticipate as much as a 10% premium in sale price. However, real estate appraisers are adamant that bad curb appeal is a buyer turnoff that can increase the number of days a property languishes on the market, which also hurts the asking price.
Landscaping’s Contribution to Curb Appeal
Landscaping is a large part of curb appeal. When selling a home, landscaping determines whether it feels inviting from the outside. The front yard’s curb appeal can be a major factor in the resale value of a home so improving the landscaping not only makes your home look more attractive, but it’s also a solid investment. “A landscaping investment could potentially pay a 215 percent return in home value,” says Margaret Woda, a realtor with Long & Foster Real Estate of Maryland. Thus, it is important to balance the money you spend on improvements with a realistic idea of what you can recoup. Yet, many improvements to your landscaping can cost little compared to the benefits of increased home value and a faster sale.
A Successful Strategy
Maximizing your yard’s attributes and minimizing its problems to create a beautiful street side view doesn’t have to be difficult, daunting, or expensive. A landscape with curb appeal includes structural elements such as trees and shrubs, as well as materials that look good in spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Therefore, aside from the obvious — landscaping, pulling weeds, paint, and general clean up — here is a roundup of curb appeal ideas that just about anyone can do! However, before we look at some simple ideas, one word of caution: landscaping should be colorful and attractive, but if it looks to “high-maintenance,” it can scare people away, so it’s important to keep landscaping neat and uncluttered.
First: Define Borders and Add Mulch
Clean edges fool the eye into seeing the entire landscape as neat and well-maintained. If lawn has crept into your garden beds and created an uneven line, then defining the border can improve the look of the whole landscape. Once you’ve established a neat border, a layer of wood chip mulch adds a refined look. Not only does it help keep weeds down, but the bright color is attractive, smooths out an uneven soil surface, and generally gives the landscaping a professional finish.
Second: Prune Overwhelming Shurbs
There are a few simple pruning techniques that can make a fast difference. One technique that makes shrubs look neat with little effort is to “skirt” them. Skirting is when you prune around the base of a shrub, removing any branches that are within 6 inches of the ground. This gives a more open appearance and works wonders. Another good pruning task is to gently prune any plant that is touching the house. Pruning plants 8 inches to 1 foot away from the house will give the landscaping a more open appearance.
Third: Add Color with Paint and Pots
If a focal area isn’t drawing the eye as it should (think front door, patio and seating areas), a bold shot of color can be just what’s needed. If the patio furniture looks tired and worn, freshly stained or painted patio furniture can draw the eye and help buyers imagine the great times they’ll have in their new landscape. Choose a color that picks up on some element in the landscaping, and add a few cushions to set the scene.
When thinking about container plantings, there are a few important points to remember. First, less is more. Choose just one or two larger pots that have a distinctive color or shape. Next, go for a simple one- or two-color planting scheme that highlights what is special about your home, like the color of the stone, trim, or surrounding shrubs. This keeps the focus on your home, rather than on the individual plantings.
Finally, Five Essentials for Creating Good Curb Appeal
Employ aesthetic use of landscape lighting
Coordinate hardware & fixtures on house, garage & gates, etc.
Make the entrance both attractive and inviting (Journey to the front door should ideally be one of discovery)
Focus on the appropriate use of accents (objects of art, water features, wind chimes, welcome mats, etc.)
Work to achieve a clutter free property, void of visual distractions.
One Last Project – the Mailbox
The mailbox is literally the first impression of a home, and because it is so small, it could be as simple as an afternoon project to get it looking like it came straight out of a luxury home catalog.