If you’ve ever bought, rented, or built a house, chances are you’ve heard people talk about “curb appeal”. But what exactly is curb appeal and why does it matter? Curb appeal is all about how visually appealing a home is, but shouldn’t the more practical aspects matter more than looks? Many people are shocked to discover just how much curb appeal can impact things. Our custom home builders break down everything you need to know about curb appeal.
What is Curb Appeal?
Curb appeal is essentially how your home looks from outside, or the curb. Curb appeal usually doesn’t extend to the entire exterior of a house, just the parts that are visual from the street. This means places like hidden side alleys or fenced-off backyards won’t factor into curb appeal.
Think of curb appeal as your home’s first impression. Things such as the home style, landscaping, siding and roof color, and more are all factors in curb appeal. The more visually appealing a home is, the more people will like it.
Why Does Curb Appeal Matter?
When buying or building a house, there are tons of factors that go into making a decision. Practical aspects like the layout, number of bedrooms, and location are obviously very important. However, we want the place we call home to look great too. Would you rather drive up to a beautiful home or one that looks like it’s falling apart every day?
Curb appeal isn’t just about looks though. Curb appeal plays an important role in home value and will be a huge factor when and if you ever try to sell. People will absolutely pay more for a good look house. A home with good curb appeal signals to buyers that it’s well taken care of.
So why does curb appeal matter? Well, good curb appeal will increase your feelings about the house and improve property value!
What Lowers Curb Appeal
Curb appeal is subjective. What one person loves about a home another person might hate. However, good curb appeal is about more than paint colors or what type of flowers are out front. There are some things that will clearly lower curb appeal.
Some examples of things that lower curb appeal include:
- Chipped, faded, or broken siding and roofing
- Unkept yard and garden
- Trash or abandoned items out front
- Dirty or broken windows, gutters, and porch
How to Boost Curb Appeal
Improving curb appeal is actually relatively easy and cheap to do. Many people think they have to spend thousands to improve their home’s curb appeal but often all they need are a couple of hundred dollars and a trip to a home improvement store.
Some easy and quick ways to boost curb appeal include:
- Power washing siding, porch, driveway, and sidewalk
- Mowing the lawn and trimming hedges
- Picking up trash, toys, or other items cluttering the space
- Upgrading address numbers and mailbox
- Painting the front door and/or shutters
- Cleaning windows and gutters
Are you looking to build a gorgeous custom home with tons of curb appeal? Contact us today! Our team of expert custom home builders is ready to make your dream house a reality.
