What is Curb Appeal and Why is it Important

Curb appeal is described as the visual attractiveness of a house as seen from the street.  This applies to the exterior of the home as well as the landscaping, outdoor fixtures, sidewalks, and driveway. 

An attractive view from the street can help sell your home and extend your property values as well as the neighborhood’s value.

Curb appeal should be important to all homeowners, not just the ones looking to sell their homes.  It can also save money and help detract criminals.

Well placed trees and shrubs will block the home from sun and wind and can help cut down on cooling and heating costs. Shrubs and bushes in front of windows, but not fully blocking them, can prevent people from looking into your home or getting too close. Keeping them trimmed and the yard maintained also lets people know that the home is regularly occupied.

If you practice regular maintenance on the exterior of your home, it will prevent larger costly repairs in the future.

A few simple and cost-effective things you can do to improve your curb appeal are:

• Mow and edge the lawn, weed flower beds, seed the lawn, apply a new layer of mulch and sweep any sidewalks and driveways.
• Replace light bulbs, clean windows and any glass panels, pressure wash siding and remove dust and cobwebs from outdoor fixtures.
• Repaint any chips on trim to the house, front door or posts and repair or replace any damaged posts.