Curb Appeal on a Budget

When selling a home, curb appeal is one of the most important factors in attracting buyers. Your yard and the front of your home are the first thing they will see, and while nobody should judge a book by its cover, many people do. The appearance of the outside of the home can determine if a potential buyer will even be willing to look at the inside. So, attractive curb appeal is vital to getting your home sold.
You don’t have to spend a lot of money to get great curb appeal. There are many small, inexpensive home improvements that can be done to create a look that will impress!
- Give a fresh coat of paint to the front door, trim or shutters.
Nothing will brighten up your home’s façade like a bright, fresh coat of paint!Costing only about $30 a gallon you can get a lot of bang for your buck.Choose a bold hue that will stand out, while still complementing the overall color of your home.
28 Inviting Colors to Paint a Front Door
- Add some creative new house numbers.
Installing some new house numbers will not only look good, it will also make it easy to find! Be creative and utilize materials that will match the finish of your exterior light fixtures.Make sure the numbers stand out!
- Change exterior lighting.
If your light fixtures are looking shabby, it’s time to replace them. Consider the design of your home and look for fixtures that add both function and style. Save yourself some time by using fixtures that have the same mounting system as the ones you will be removing.
- Replace your mailbox.
Whether your mailbox is by the road or attached to your house, it can either add to or take away from your curb appeal depending on how it looks. You can find a new mailbox for as little as $20.This quick project will go a long way toward improving the look of your home.Just make sure you are following city/county/HOA regulations when installing it.
- Install flower boxes.
If you want to add some color to your home exterior, there is no better way to do it than with flowers!Try adding some inexpensive flower boxes to your front porch railings or under your windows.You can even DIY them in an afternoon! Choose flowers with colors that will complement your home.
15 Planter Boxes You'll Want to DIY Right Now
Are you ready to list your house for sale this spring? Sandra Nickel and her Hat Team of professional Realtors can answer any questions you may have about preparing your home to sell. Give them a call today at 334-834-1500!
Photo Credit: Lowes.com





Cleaning the Microwave - No matter how dirty your microwave is, you can have it clean and shining in less than five minutes with this trick! Slice a lemon in two. Put it in a cup and add some cinnamon. Place the cup in the microwave and “cook” on low power for 10 minutes. Wipe the inside of the microwave clean with a damp cloth. The cinnamon makes it smell nice.
Dusting That Lasts - The secret here is to wipe your furniture down with a little bit of cooking oil on a paper towel. This will do two things. The first is that it will make your furniture shine nicely. The second is that it adds an anti-static layer which repels dust. You will need to dust again eventually, but not for a much longer time.
Getting Kids’ Artwork Off the Wall for Good - Finding that your creative child has used a wall for artwork with a pen or permanent marker is the worst! The good news is that the stain can be removed. Try squeezing toothpaste (not the gel kind) onto a damp cloth. Rub the toothpaste over the stain and watch it disappear.
Keeping Window Tracks Clean - If you’re showing your house on a nice day, you’re going to want to have your windows open. But if you do that, you want to make sure that the window tracks are super clean. The easiest way to make sure they are, is to sprinkle the area with baking powder and then add vinegar. Don’t worry when it starts to bubble; it’s supposed to do that! Leave it for 15 minutes. Then wipe it clean with a paper towel and done!
Shiny Bathtubs - You won’t believe how easy it is to clean your bathtubs this way! First, warm (don’t boil) some vinegar in the microwave. Mix it with equal parts soap solutions in a spray bottle. Spray all over the bath. Leave it for about 30 minutes. Come back and wipe clean. The shine you get will amaze you!
Keeping Animal Fur off Blankets - Do you have pets that shed? If so, you know the struggle of keeping your house fur free. Vacuuming regularly helps, but doesn’t keep the fur off things such as blankets and throws. Believe it or not, there is a way to do that. Wash them once in white vinegar and you will discover that the fur never sticks to them afterward!



