8 Ways to Get Curb Appeal for Under $100

As a handyman, I am often called on to spruce up my clients’ houses and get them ready to sell. I also spend my free time fixing up historic homes and then reselling them. Therefore, I have a special interest in improvements that can raise a property value without costing a lot.

In the next few posts, I’m going to share different ways to improve your property value, with a focus on getting your house ready to sell. Some of these things are free, some are cheap, and some are moderately expensive but very worthwhile. Now, on to today’s list:

8 Ways to Get Curb Appeal for Under $100

1)      It’s all in the numbers. Your potential buyers are going to be creeping down your road and squinting at the street numbers, trying to figure out which one is yours. Why not impress them at first sight with a clean, legible set of house numbers in a prominent place?

2)      Pay attention to the plants. Mulch your garden beds and put in some cheap annuals. Hang a few ferns on the porch. Mow the lawn and keep it watered. Cut the dead limbs off of the trees. All of these things are inexpensive, but they all make a big difference.

3)      Repaint your front door. Entrance doors take a lot of abuse. They get kicked; they get slammed; they get scraped by keys. Cover all of that up with a new coat of paint. By the way, if the “real” main entrance is the side door, paint that, too.

4)      Get a new mailbox. Or at least repaint your old one.

5)      Put out the welcome mat. This is important for two reasons: for one thing, it will set a good impression. For another thing, lots and lots of people are going to troop through your house. Give them all a place to scrape the dirt off their feet. Remember, you can take this improvement with you to your next place, so it’s okay to splurge. Get a sturdy one that will still look good a month from now.

6)      Change the locks early. Most people change the locks when they move into a new place, not when they sell. But take a look at the knobs and locks on your exterior doors. Are they scratched or dated? Paint them or replace them. It’s not that expensive, and it sets a nice impression.

7)      Hide the eyesores. Do you have ugly trashcans, rambling woodpiles or crumbling heaps of compost? Hide them with a simple privacy screen such as a trellis.

8)      Freshen up bad paint. Check the windowsills and exterior paint, especially in damp places or places that get lots of sunshine. It’s common for exterior paint to chip and peel, and it’s easy to scrape it and repaint it. (Use care if scraping very old paint chips; they can contain lead.)

You don’t have to spend the big bucks to make your house appealing from the street. A little loving maintenance can go a long way.

---

Need an Asheville-area handyman to help you with your to-do lists?
Give me a call!

---