If you’re a homeowner considering selling your house, curb appeal is very important. Thankfully, there are a lot of quick and easy ways to make your home look better from the street.
1) Clean up your yard
The first step of increasing curb appeal is seeing what you have to work with. Before–or instead of–tackling a full landscaping project, remove anything that doesn’t belong in the yard. This includes any trash or signs of home improvement projects. Think of it as de-cluttering.2) Stay current with basic maintenance
Be sure to cut the grass regularly if you have it and keep all other plants trimmed back as needed. If you have a largely plant-free yard, rake any gravel or sand and keep concrete areas swept.3) Hire professional landscapers
If it’s in your budget, hire landscapers to do a quick clean up. They can quickly and professionally edge your garden beds, add mulch, or plant a few things in the bare spots. You may even have them replace a few plants if that’s appropriate for your time, budget, and curb appeal goals.4) Rethink your watering system
If your property is in Antelope Valley, Santa Clarita Valley, or Los Angeles County, consider moving to a drip irrigation system. Drought-resistant plants in Southern California can do very well with this type of watering system. Check The Farmer’s Almanac for more details.5) Increase ground cover with drought-resistant plants
Not only are drought-resistant plants easier on your water bill, but they also require less work to maintain and look great year-round. You might consider dymondia, creeping barberry, rockrose, or the California poppy (Sea Grant California).6) Add a focal point
If there isn’t one already, add a focal point to your yard. This can be a particularly attractive plant or maybe a bench in a shaded corner.7) Add a tree (or two)
According to Sea Grant California, some good options for trees in Southern California might be pomegranate, California buckeye, or Tabebuia. These examples are all fire-resistant as well.8) Fill in bare spots with low-to-mid-height plants
Consider plants like lavender, rosemary, Shaw agave, or coyote bush. A variety of plants make for a more visually interesting yard.9) Choose colorful foliage
Hardy plants can have a variety of colors, from lighter shades of silver and green to darker reds and blues. Choosing plants with a variety of colors will increase the attractiveness of your yard.10) Replace your old house numbers
How long have those house numbers been nailed to the outside wall? They might be faded, chipped, or even missing. A quick trip to the hardware store can yield a variety of more attractive options, including house numbers to display in the front yard instead.11) Clean or replace your gutters
This one might not be as quick or simple as other things on this list, but it’s important.12) Make your front porch more inviting
If your house has a front porch, consider adding a few potted plants, small sculptures, or a seating area. A small table is a nice addition to a seating area if you’d like somewhere to put a drink.13) Change your walkway
If your walkway is a straight line from the driveway to the front door, consider redoing it with some curves to be more pleasing to the eye.14) Replace old or broken decorative stones
This includes paving stones in walkways and edging around garden beds.15) Add a coat of paint
Freshen up any fences, pots, or lawn furniture with a fresh coat of paint. Choose a new color or stick to your favorite shade.16) Wash your front windows
While you’re sprucing everything up, be sure to wash your windows.17) Replace your welcome mat
While often designed to last a long time, these do need to be replaced occasionally.18) Clean between the cracks
Weeds can sneak in everywhere. While you might not notice the green volunteers between the stones in your front walk, visitors will.19) Add lighting
A few lights along the walkway or under a particularly attractive tree can do a lot to increase the visual appeal of your yard.20) Clean up the driveway
You may want to add some visual appeal with a row of plants along one side of the driveway. Another effective way to increase curb appeal is to simply clean any stains off your driveway and remove cars, trash bins, or other clutter.Rima Rafeh has been a licensed Real Estate Broker with Keller Williams Realty Antelope Valley since 2007. She creates clients for life by relying on communication, loyalty, ethics, integrity, commitment, and trust. If you’re ready to sell your home, contact The Rafeh Group today.
