Curb appeal is the way we describe how the front of the house looks when you are staring at it from the curb, street, or sidewalk. If the house looks nice from the curb, it has lots of curb appeal. If the house looks like a mess, it lacks curb appeal. But does curb appeal really matter? Who really cares what the front of the house looks like to the passers-by?
When thinking as the home owner, consider that a street filled with houses that are nice and neat or well-manicured makes a statement. It says that these homes are cared for and the people who live in them have taken the time, effort, and money to make sure they look good. A street of homes that are well cared for is a street that people want to live on.
As someone who is in the business of fixing and selling homes, nice curb appeal is very important, not just when we go to sell, but also when we are looking to buy. When we buy a home to renovate and flip, we are not overly concerned about how the house looks right then with regard to curb appeal. What we are concerned about, and what we always consider, is the appearance of the other homes in the neighborhood. If they all look taken care of; if the house we are buying is the worst looking house on the block, then that is a house we want to buy. A good-looking neighborhood will help sell the house once it is fixed up because people want to live in neighborhoods where it looks like their neighbors are taking care of their properties. We want to buy to-be-flipped houses in beautiful neighborhoods because it will make the house easier to sell in the future.
That doesn’t mean that the curb appeal of the house we are buying isn’t important. It is. We always look at the houses and contemplate if they have any interesting or prominent features that we can emphasize when renovating the property. Or if there is something we need to remove for a cleaner or nicer appearance. And at the end of the project, no house will go on the market without a yard clean up and landscaping. We want potential buyers to be drawn to the house. We want them to feel that the house is beckoning them and inviting them inside. A manicured lawn that feels calming and inviting. A bold front door that says “Look at me! Come inside!”. A well-groomed path up to the front door that is lined with plants or lighting to guide you to the house. And a welcoming front porch, when possible, to encourage you to hang out and enjoy your new space. Everything about the front of the house should scream, “Look how nice I am! Don’t you want to come in and live here?!”.
A house with beautiful curb appeal is a house people want to buy and live in. It is a house people want to live next to. It is a house that beckons you home. So, take the time to spruce up the front of your house a little. It is good for your property values and for the feeling of the neighborhood overall. And thank you to all who make the front of their houses look cared for and beautiful, not just for themselves, but for their neighbors as well.
Commentaires