7 budget-friendly ways to increase curb appeal

One of the most important parts of staging your home for sale or selling your home in general is making sure positive first impressions are made. If you’re looking to increase the value of your home, increasing curb appeal is one of the easiest ways to make a return on your investment.

1. Eliminate eyesores

The most cost-effective way to increase curb appeal is to get rid of anything that’s an eyesore or that doesn’t match the rest of your home. Maybe you have a bright red letterbox or an out of place doorbell. Even small changes that won’t cost you a thing can help the front of your property look more cohesive and inviting.

2. Do maintenance and repairs

Doing maintenance and repairs is incredibly important to making your home look ready to live in. If you’re handy, tackle some of these repairs alone. Missing roof tiles, cracks in your paint or hanging gutters could all be a DIY project. However, hiring a professional can sometimes be worth the money and will definitely be less risky.

3. Add landscaping

Landscaping can take the front of your home to the next level. However, it’s important to make sure that any plants you add are easy to maintain. Otherwise, they may deter potential buyers that don’t have a green thumb. Certain plants do well in particular suburbs. For example, if you’re selling a home in Melbourne, capital pear trees are particularly popular.

4. Clean and declutter

The impact of a thorough clean and declutter is often overlooked. Dirt, mould and grime can make your home look significantly less valuable. Clean up any dead trees, branches or leaves that are making your property look disarrayed. You’ll also want to be removing any personal items like shoes or umbrellas from the front of your property.

5. High pressure clean

If your home needs a really thorough clean, it might be worthwhile to borrow or hire a pressure cleaner for a weekend. You’ll be able to make pavements, decks, driveways and grout look brand new. Make sure to look into which attachments you’ll need for each different type of surface to avoid damages.

6. Fresh coat of paint

A fresh coat of paint will give any space a facelift, including your outdoor space. Keeping your home a neutral colour will make it appealing to the widest range of people. If you’re happy to dish out the extra cash, hiring a professional to do the painting might help make your property even better than if you were to paint it on your own.

7. Add lighting

Lighting is another one of those areas that people don’t usually place much emphasis on, especially for the front of the home. Using lighting around paths, against fencing or on the front of you property can help it look more inviting. Even if most potential buyers will be viewing your home during the day, lighting will help to make your home look brighter.

Final words

Don’t underestimate the power of a few small changes to the front of your home! Remember to be objective when evaluating your curb appeal. Try to put yourself into the shoes of potential buyers or ask for a second opinion. You definitely don’t need to spend thousands of dollars to make your home look newer.

Guest author: Ellen Orton is the Head of Business Operations at OpenAgent.com.au, an online agent comparison website helping Australians to sell, buy and own property.

Richie Muir

Legal Director

Richie is an experienced and commercially astute lawyer specialising in property law. He leads lawlab’s team of legal advisors and is the go-to problem solver for complex or unusual matters.  Having spent many years living and studying in Europe he now calls Brisbane home. Outside of work he juggles his time helping bring up his 2 young daughters, playing football and developing property.