curb appeal Toronto

The first impression anyone has of your home is what they see when they pull up in front of your door. Whether you have a one-bedroom studio townhouse or a palatial estate set on several acres of land, your home’s curb appeal will be what people take away from your property. How your home presents itself will also go a long way when it comes to selling it. Many homebuyers want to be wowed when they view a property and a house’s curb appeal plays a significant role in that all-important first impression. Here we will look at a few of the ways to better your home’s curb appeal inexpensively and with little effort.

Cut that Grass!
As silly as it sounds just tidying up your lawn and flower beds will have a huge impact on how your home looks to others. If your cat disappears in your lawn, your shrubs are turning into trees and you can’t distinguish the flowers from the weeds in your flower beds, it’s time to roll-up your sleeves and give everything a good trim and a good weeding. Nothing improves the look of a home like properly mown grass, a weeded garden and well-trimmed shrubs.

Clean and Paint
If the exterior of your home is filthy with grime and dust then buying or borrowing a powerwasher and giving the facade a once-over will brighten things up considerably. Also be sure to wash your windows as nothing screams “shack” more than dirty window panes. Just be sure to use the proper settings to that you don’t damage your siding, bricks and/or stone work.

Think Creatively
An easy way to change the look and appeal of your home is to change the exterior fixtures such as lighting, railings or trim. If you have a garage door that has seen better days but can’t afford to replace it, then consider giving it a coat of paint – you can do the same for front doors and railings. Swapping out old lighting fixtures for new ones is also an inexpensive fix while adding more exterior lighting might cost more but will definitely increase the wow-factor of your home. Adding planters with colourful annuals is a quick fix during the summer while potted evergreens are a good choice for the cold months.

Bigger Budget Projects
If you have a bit of a budget to work with, then you could consider having your home professionally landscaped. Change the look of tired pavers by swapping them out for new stone bricks, repave cracked and peeling driveways and consider creating visual interest with low-maintenance mixed gardens. Changing old windows and doors and maybe even refacing the house are all bigger budget projects that will drastically alter and improve the look of your home.

In the end, it isn’t necessary to spend big buck on improving the look of your home unless you want to. You can find some fun before and after pictures over here of improved homes: //bit.ly/1H1wYZ5.