Improving Your House’s Curb Appeal

Sprucing up your home’s curb appeal has plenty of benefits. It can grab the attention of potential homebuyers and impress your neighbors — and you don’t need to spend all that much time or money to do it! We’ve put together a list of tips to make your home the star of your block.

What Is Curb Appeal and Why Is it Important?

Curb appeal is all about the allure of your home, from the outside. There are many reasons to increase your home’s curb appeal. For starters, it can actually add value to your home. So, how do you add curb appeal? One way is to make improvements that benefit your home in a several key ways.

Smart adjustments can add a measure of safety while improving aesthetics, and today’s buyers are looking for well-planned landscaping like this. So, take a look at these go-to house curb appeal ideas that really can help you sell your home for more money.

Upgrade Your Home’s Entryway

Your front door — and the space around it — is the focal point of your home. Whenever you have guests over or a neighbor walks by, your entryway leaves a lasting impression — so take the time to put these tips into action and make it stand out from the rest:

1. Repair or replace your screens

If your door or windows have screens, patch up any holes or replace the screen altogether to boost your house’s curb appeal. You can find screen patches and adhesives at most hardware stores. Not only will they look better, but they’ll keep things like leaves and other debris from dirtying the area near your windows.

2. Paint your front door

Want to draw some more attention to your house? Repaint your front door in a color that accents your home’s color scheme. And if you love the current color of your front door, give it a fresh coat of paint to revitalize worn areas while refreshing your home’s appearance and adding curb appeal.

3. Replace your entryway’s hardware

From your doorbell to its hinges, you’ve probably got some hardware that’s long overdue for replacing. If you’re not keen on replacing every piece, at least clean and shine them to give the appearance that they’re brand new.

4. Tidy it up

Whether you’ve got packages, a dirty pair of boots or decorations of seasons-past hanging out by your doorway, move them back to their appropriate areas and sweep up. Shake out your doormats, vacuum the area clean — and don’t forget to do the same to the inside, too. Keeping a clean entryway is an effective method to increase curb appeal.

Enhance the Front of Your Home

Now that you’ve boosted your front door’s appearance, it’s time to tackle the rest of your home’s front-facing exterior. Check out these tips for getting oohs and aahs from the neighbors:

5. Clean up your yard

Keeping your front yard in tip-top shape isn’t a once-a-month kind of activity — it takes dedication! Mow your lawn regularly, trim trees and bushes and keep your eye out for weeds. This step may require extra labor but it’s key to increasing your house’s curb appeal.

6. Clean up or replace your mailbox

Impress the mail carrier and give your mailbox a makeover to match your home’s appearance. Whether its attached to your house, at the end of the driveway or across the street, it deserves your care! If it’s leaking or falling apart, consider replacing it with a higher-quality version altogether.

7. Upgrade your house numbers

Your house’s address numbers are crucial for mail carriers, package delivery workers, guests and more — so make them stand out! Stand across the street and see where your numbers could be the most visible, then go to a hardware store and pick out your favorite style.

Add Some Greenery to Your House

For curbside appeal that’s lively and inviting, Add potted or hanging plants on your porch. Putting plants on your porch will bring some color to your home and give you a regular reason to step out into the fresh air and enjoy a little slice of nature.

8. Install a flower bed

Putting a flower bed along your walkway or the front of your home takes more planning and work than adding potted plants, but it’s well worth it. Watch the flowers grow from seedlings or visit a greenhouse and transplant already mature flowers to add a pop of color to your home that’ll return every spring.

9. Plant a garden

Planting a garden along the sides of your home can add an even deeper dimension to your home’s curb appeal. Planting vegetables, herbs, flowers and other plants will really make your home stand out when they come to maturity. If you don’t fancy yourself much of a green thumb, check in with your local greenhouse or gardening store for tips on planting low-maintenance greenery.

Light Up Your House

Your home needs adequate lighting for safety’s sake, so why not make it look good? Check out these tips for getting the right kind of lighting for your home’s exterior and improve your home’s curbside appeal:

10. Check all fixtures around your home

If you’re like most homeowners, you don’t replace a light until it’s burnt out right when you need it. Check all the fixtures around your home and look for any dimming or burnt-out bulbs and replace them. Go green and pick out energy-efficient smart bulbs to save yourself some money and help the environment at the same time.

11. Add security lighting

Another way to improve curb appeal is to add security lighting along the side of your house and near your garage to help you see at night and to deter vandals. Battery-powered units are easily installed and can be found at many hardware stores.

12. Illuminate your pathway

Help your guests take safe steps and place solar-powered lights along the walkway leading to your home. The lights charge up during the day and turn on at night, making them as low maintenance as can be.

Clean Up Your Home’s Exterior

Now that you’ve added plenty of curb appeal to your home, it’s time to clean, repair and maintain some of the harder-to-reach places of your home. Here’s how you can cap off your home’s beautification efforts:

13. Clean your windows

Cleaning your lower level windows is easy but getting your second level and other elevated windows is a tougher task. Consider hiring a professional window cleaner to get the job done — and don’t forget to clean the inside of your windows, too.

14. Scrub your siding

Another one of our curb appeal tips is to clean your sidings. Using simple soap and water, remove any dirt, moss or other debris from your siding. Use a soft-bristled brush with a handle to get the higher parts of your siding or consider finding a professional to clean it for you.

15. Check your roof

Use your eyes and stand on the ground to take a look at your roof, being careful to note any missing or lifted shingles or debris. If you do notice anything amiss, contact a professional roofer to have it taken care of promptly.

Protect Your Home's Curb Appeal Investments

After you’ve applied our tips for adding curb appeal to your home given your home some serious care, get in touch with your American Family Insurance agent (Opens in a new tab) to make sure you’re protecting everything you’ve worked so hard for. Homeowners insurance and a wide variety of endorsements are available to give you and your family the peace of mind you deserve.