How to Boost Your Curb Appeal and Increase Home Equity

First Impressions – Give Your Home A Equity Boost

 

Let’s be honest, when you’re sitting in your car looking at houses, the ones who need some upkeep and have overgrown grass or trash in the yard are houses that you could never picture yourself living inside of and raising a family. It just isn’t that attractive. However, if you drove by that same house and noticed that the owners had repaired the roof, put a fresh coat of paint on, cleaned the yard, and cut the grass, it may actually look like an attractive opportunity. As humans, a lot of decisions are based on first impressions. Since time is money, you don’t want to waste your time on things that don’t leave a good impression. Making a couple of changes can give your home a equity boost.

 

Because of the importance of this first impression, it’s critical that homeowners who are looking to sell their homes make sure that they have the best curb appeal appearance that they can muster. Not only does it boost their home’s equity, but you’re also more likely to make that sale. Potential buyers aren’t going to care what the inside of the house looks like if the outside is a total mess. As such, for those looking to improve their curb appeal and equity, here a few tips to consider.

 

1. Presentation Online

 

By and large, most research is performed by a potential buyer online. Unless your neighbor or someone close by is looking to move, you need to be able to attract attention from people who may be distant or just a few blocks down. To do that, you’re going to end up posting your home on some form of a website. To make the most of this space, you need attractive pictures. This is where curb appeal begins. You’ll want to think about those home life magazines you’ve noticed before and style your home accordingly. Clean up any messes that the rigors of life build up–at least long enough for the photoshoot. Speaking of the photo shoot, you don’t want to take photos during extremely sunny days as it can an add a glow to your pictures. Not only will this make the details of your house difficult to see, but it can wash it out completely. Photos are best taken on overcast days.

 

2. Take On A New Role

 

When examining the outside of your home, you need to adopt a new role. No longer are you the homeowner, but instead, you’re the potential buyer. Take a walk around your property with this new perspective and look for problem areas. Are your shutters chipping away? Does the roof need repairing or washing? Is any of the paint faded or cracked? Examine your garden. Is it overgrown? Are there toys hidden away under bushes? You may even want to get in your car and take a small drive up and down the block to examine your house as a buyer will. Do so during the day and night, so you can give your home a full inspection. You may notice things that you hadn’t before.

 

3. Roof Repair

 

One of the best ways to give yourself an equity boost is to take care of your roof. You may not want to, but you can be sure that potential buyers aren’t going to want to either. After your inspection, if you notice that your roof looks a little worse for wear after its time baking under the Texas sun, then you should call in a contractor. They can inspect the roof professionally and give you an estimate on what needs to be done to make sure your roof is in top shape. Sometimes all you need is a thorough cleaning. Other times, shingles need to be repaired or removed to better protect your roof and house as a whole. With a new roof attached, you can be sure that will attract quite a few approving stares.

 

4. House Numbers

 

This tiny detail may not even be something you consider. However, another method to increase your curb appeal and give yourself an equity boost is to make sure that the house numbers are clean and visible. Not only does this make it easier to find your house, but they’re a little detail that can go a long way in making your property look attractive.

 

5. Repave The Driveway

 

With all of the abuse from the Texas sun that your driveway takes, it’s going to need to be repaired at some point. Buyers don’t like to see chipped driveways. There’s nothing as displeasing as driving over a driveway that jerks them in their car. It may be an annoying fix, but by the end of it, you’ll be left with an attractive driveway that buyers will be proud to call their own.

Make a handful of small changes and fix’s to your home can give you a big equity boost in your property. If you are in the market for a home mortgage or looking at refinancing feel free to contact us here at Saint Charles Mortgage. We have many loan options available and operate in Texas and Missouri.