Since your home is a significant investment, it should look similar to or better than the others in your neighborhood. Whether it’s time to sell your house or make it look more appealing to you and your guests, you may want to know how to improve curb appeal.
The best way to create curb appeal is by taking care of your exterior property. Plant a few flowers, update your light fixtures, and keep the siding clean. It also helps to repair or replace your garage and entry door to complete your home’s overall design. Explore the importance of curb appeal to find out how to make your home more attractive to guests and potential homebuyers.
WHY CURB APPEAL IS ESSENTIAL
It’s necessary to improve your curb appeal because it creates the first impression for your whole property. Consider some of the following benefits of curb appeal.
1. SELL YOUR PROPERTY FOR MORE MONEY
Curb appeal is a marketing tool that advertises your exterior and interior living space. If you’ve put your home on the market, prospective homebuyers probably look at the listing online before deciding if they want to view it in person. Whenever you improve house curb appeal, your exterior property will attract people inside to look at the rest of your home. If prospective buyers see a clean yard and a fresh coat of paint outside, they’ll have a more positive perspective of your house.
Those who are interested in your house should be able to imagine themselves living in it without much maintenance. A clean, updated exterior can help them feel more confident that they’ll enjoy your property for many years. As a result, they’ll most likely place a higher offer if they’re interested in buying it. Appraisers also typically set a higher value for a home whose garage door, front door and siding are in excellent condition.
2. KEEP YOUR HOME SAFE FROM CRIMINALS
Besides helping you sell your property, creating curb appeal for your home can prevent intruders from trying to break inside. If your trees and shrubbery have become unruly, criminals can hide behind the branches and try to gain access to your house.
Keeping your vegetation trimmed and your lighting in working order will help you and your neighbors notice someone sneaking around your property. Updating your broken locks on your entry doors will prevent burglars from coming inside if they get close enough to your home.
3. GUARD YOUR LIVING SPACE AGAINST PESTS
As you consider how to improve the curb appeal of your home, remember that a clean home exterior can prevent a pest infestation. Rodents and insects like to hide in tall shrubbery and grass, and they’ll sneak into your house through gaps or cracks in the siding, windows and doors. If they come inside, they can eat your food and contaminate your valuables.
Taking the time to clean up your landscaping and repair the openings outside your home can keep your property safe from pests. As a result, your home will be as clean on the inside as it is outside.
4. HAVE A COMFORTABLE HOUSE IN THE SUMMER
Creating curb appeal can help you save money on energy bills. Trees and shrubs in strategic places can provide shade and keep your property cool in the summer. Planting greenery along the sun’s path can help protect your home from UV rays. Trimming branches away from your solar panels and outdoor air conditioner unit puts less strain on your HVAC system, reducing your energy costs. Besides saving money, having a temperature-controlled home can guard your furniture against damage and create a more comfortable living space.
WAYS TO IMPROVE CURB APPEAL
All homeowners want to love the way their houses look. However, the idea of improving curb appeal can sometimes feel overwhelming. Luckily, you can use plenty of affordable, easy-to-implement outdoor design and exterior decorating tips to spruce up your house and make it more attractive. As you walk around your property, look for worn-out or broken components, and create a list of ideas to improve curb appeal. If you’re wondering how to improve the curb appeal of your house, here are a few places you can start.
1. GARAGE DOORS
Your home’s garage door completes and defines your property’s exterior design. A new garage is often one of the most overlooked outdoor upgrades. Garage doors and curb appeal go hand in hand because the garage door is a considerable portion of many homes’ exteriors. Cleaning the panels and replacing broken or worn-out components can enhance garage door curb appeal and make it more functional.
If you decide you need a new garage door, choose a model that complements your existing architecture and works well in the confines of your street and neighborhood. You’ll find it ties the home together and enhances attractiveness. Explore all your choices until you discover the best for your unique home, including different materials, decorative windows, hardware options and styles. You could also use our Door Imagination System to test each of our products against your existing home.
The following features can help you figure out how to enhance your garage door’s curb appeal.
- Materials: Residential garage doors come in different materials to complement your home’s exterior. Glass and aluminum frame ones have a sleek, modern appearance. Steel garage doors tend to be sturdy, and you can stain or paint them any color. Wood garage doors offer an authentically beautiful appearance to complement your traditional or Craftsman home. Any of these materials would enhance your home’s curb appeal, depending on its architectural style and current design.
- Colors: Besides the material, the color also influences the curb appeal for garage doors. A contrasting color from your home’s siding creates an eye-catching focal point that draws visitors inside. However, try to create a subtle, attractive contrast instead of a bold color that distracts from the overall design. It may be helpful to select a color that repeats elsewhere on the exterior, like your window trim or shutters.
- Windows: Some garage doors come with decorative windows that allow natural light into your home and create a transformational look. If your garage door is large, windows can break up the panels’ uniform design. Consider your existing windows’ patterns to find a shape, size and glass type that complements your current aesthetic.
- Insulation: If you live in a snowy, cold climate, you can add a layer of insulation to your door to increase your home’s protection against air drafts. Even though the insulation doesn’t exactly contribute to how the garage door impacts curb appeal, your door can look old and worn when it gets damaged in a storm. Investing the extra money in an insulated, wind-rated door can save you from having to replace it.
- Decorative hardware: To add curb appeal to your garage door, choose some decorative hardware to complete your design. Most modern garage doors open automatically, so the handles or hinges you can get on your panels enhance the aesthetic and define the style.
2. ENTRY DOORS
The entry door is the focal point for anyone arriving at your home. It should feel warm and inviting, and its appearance should make your home stand out. To enhance entry door curb appeal, you can clean the panels with mild soap and warm water, carefully ensuring it has dried entirely. If any of the components on your entry door are broken, you should also get them replaced.
Discover some new front door curb appeal ideas to keep your exterior property clean and updated. If you’ve cleaned the door and you’re still wondering how to make front door curb appeal improve, you may discover you need a new front door. Some homes overlook the entry door, going for something cheap and unattractive. If that’s the current case at your home, you have an excellent opportunity to completely transform your entryway’s look and feel with a new door.
You can improve your garage door’s curb appeal by investing in a complementary entry door. Here are some considerations for front door curb appeal to consider as you choose a replacement door.
- Material: Most entry doors come with either a fiberglass, wood or steel slab. Fiberglass is a low-maintenance, durable material that can resemble painted, stained or natural wood. Wood is authentically beautiful and provides a unique appearance for the front of your house. You can have steel painted or stained any color or wood finish to complement your home’s exterior.
- Color: The entry door should have a similar color and style to your garage door. Like the garage door, you have many color options for painting or staining your home’s front door.
- Panel style: The panel style defines front doors’ appearance. Review the design brochure for your desired product to find out what options are available.
- Glass design: Your entry door will probably have small, decorative windows to enhance its appeal. Choose a glass shape, design and type that accommodates how you want your door to look. The windows usually have metal banding in them to join the glass panels together.
- Hardware: Your entry door needs functional, aesthetically pleasing hardware. Consider the design of the doorknob, lock and hinges to complete your front door’s look.
Along with your entry door, you may want to invest in a new storm door. This glass-framed door goes in front of your entry or back door to protect it against harsh weather conditions, especially in the winter. It also provides additional ventilation in warmer weather. An eye-catching glass storm door can improve your house’s curb appeal and highlight your decorative entry door.
3. ENTRYWAY
Your entire entryway is a significant part of your home’s outdoor style and contributes to creating curb appeal. Adequate lighting promotes a more inviting atmosphere and keeps your home safe from intruders. Spruce up your entryway by adding outdoor decorations, such as stylish railings and porch furniture. When you address your porch and entry, you’ll make your home more welcoming to visitors.
Consider making the following updates to your property.
- Outdoor furniture: A porch swing, Adirondack chairs and other decorative elements are comfortable and provide plenty of space for you and your visitors to relax. Use your outdoor furniture wisely, creating a balance between your landscaping and furniture. Avoid cluttering your porch or deck with too many chairs or swings. At the start of each season, maintain your outdoor furniture by washing the upholstery in the laundry and using a garden hose on your plastic pieces.
- New house numbers: Updated metal house numbers reflect light from your porch or a car’s headlights to help visitors find your house more quickly.
- Mailbox: If the mailbox in front of your house has started to look worn, consider upgrading it to demonstrate your attention to detail.
- Lighting: You can also switch out old and rusting porch light fixtures for modern, fashionable ones. If you don’t have room in your budget for new lighting, add a fresh coat of paint to your old ones to change their color. You may also want to replace any light bulbs that may have burned out.
4. LANDSCAPING
Landscaping is another way to create curb appeal for your home. If you don’t have the time or expertise to care for your yard, consult your local nursery or hardware store. They can answer your questions about the types of flowers, plants and grass that grow best in your area. Mowing your lawn, raking the leaves, and pulling the leaves are easy ways to manicure your yard.
Here are some elements you can add to your existing landscaping.
- Trees: Planting a tree in the front yard provides shade and creates an inviting appearance outside your home.It may take some time to grow, but it’ll only take a couple of hours to plant. Trees with flowers can add a colorful display in front of your property.
- Flowers: In your garden, grow colorful flowers that coordinate with each season. If you don’t want to plant flowers, flower boxes with delightful, inviting colors can complement your home’s siding.
This vegetation is relatively easy to maintain. Trim your dead or overgrown tree branches every few months to preserve the trees’ delightful appearance and guard your home against intruders. It helps to water your flowers, trees and plants to prevent them from drying out. You could also add mulch during specific times of the year to help decrease weed growth while retaining moisture.
5. WINDOWS
Cleaning your windows is one of the best ways to improve curb appeal because you can make a home sparkle without spending too much money. Handprints, rain, snow, bugs and other elements can dirty up windows over time. If you don’t take care of grimy windows, they can detract from your home’s curb appeal by obscuring the sleek, luxurious glass. Use soap and water, or find a specific window-cleaning product at the store, and take the time to scrub and dry each exterior window.
You can try washing the exterior windows with a garden hose instead of climbing onto a ladder to clean them. It’s helpful if you have windows that tilt out so you can clean them from the inside. You’ll find clean windows deliver a subtle shine that revives any home’s exterior look and feel. If you need to replace your windows, new, energy-efficient ones throughout your house can attract potential home buyers and increase your property’s protection against the elements.
6. DRIVEWAYS AND WALKWAYS
Your driveway, sidewalks and other portions of your home accumulate dust and dirt. Pavers and stepping stones can also loosen after excessive use or inclement weather. To create a safe place for you and your visitors to park your car and walk, ensure your driveway and walkway are clean and in excellent condition. Clean all your driveways, sidewalks and pathways with a power washer at least once a year. You can typically rent this equipment inexpensively at your local hardware store.
Cleaning or updating your driveways and pathways can prevent cracks from forming due to all the accumulated grime. If you don’t have a clear path to your home from the curb or driveway, you can have a stone or brick walkway installed. You could also establish a pathway on your grass or around an existing driveway with some plants or lighting.
Decluttering your driveway helps provide a smooth path for parking vehicles and walking visitors. Place your garbage cans or recycling bins on the side of the house, behind a fence or bush. You can also seal your driveway to cover cracks and restore its glossy appearance. Follow the instructions on the sealant for your specific driveway material.
7. SIDING
When cleaning your siding, use a garden hose instead of a pressure washer to prevent damage. The paint color determines how potential buyers and visitors perceive your home. Your siding’s color may fade or chip over time, but restoring its appearance is affordable and convenient enough to do yourself.
If your siding needs an update, choose a color that works well with the other exterior components, such as your garage door, entry door and window trim. Consult a local paint dealer for information about how many gallons of paint you need for your home’s size. If the panels themselves have worn out, you might need to reach out to a contractor to replace them.
8. FENCING
The right fencing can protect your home against intruders and frame your landscaping to create a striking visual appeal. Your fence may be sagging, falling down or fading from a natural wood color to a dull and aging gray. Giving this part of your house a few new components or a fresh coat of paint can improve home curb appeal by updating your property’s overall appearance.
A new fence is an excellent asset for a home, and its look along the sides of your home will help increase curb appeal. Consider a durable, aesthetically pleasing material and color to add definite visual boundaries for your whole property. If you have a traditional or cottage home, you may like a classic picket fence. Wrought-iron fences complement a historic design, while vinyl or PVC fencing is perfect for modern, contemporary or Craftsman houses.
9. GUTTERS
Your gutters channel water away from your house during a snowfall or rainstorm, but they can become clogged with leaves and other debris from nearby trees. Cleaning or replacing these components demonstrates your care for your property. After removing the debris by hand or with a special gutter brush, scrub the gutters’ exteriors until they look new. If they’ve become worn or broken, you might have to get them replaced to protect your house from water damage.
10. ROOFING
Your roof makes up a significant part of your property, and it costs a lot of money to replace missing shingles and rotting underlayment. An older roof may also have mold and other debris growing on top of it. If you’re selling your house, having a brand-new roof can attract potential homebuyers. They’ll appreciate not having to replace it in the next few years. Consider replacing your worn-out shingles with a color that complements your new siding or garage door.
BROWSE OUR RESIDENTIAL GARAGE DOORS AND ENTRY DOORS
At Quality Overhead Door, we help homeowners like you learn how to improve your home’s curb appeal and resale value with anew garage door. Our entry doors and other products will enhance your home’s attractiveness and your ability to enjoy it. We’ve been serving the Toledo area since 1982, and we would be proud to suit your needs at your home.
Reach out to us today about how to increase your house’s attractiveness and resale value.
Additional Resources on Garage Doors Design:
- How Your Front Door and Garage Door Can Increase Your Home’s Value
- Decorative Hardware Options for Garage Doors
- Improve Your Exterior With Garage Door Trim
- How to Choose a Garage Door Color
- Guide to Garage Door Styles