Many factors play into determining a home or  property's  value.  Real  estate  professionals  often  stress  one  of  the  most crucial matters is a concept known as curb appeal.

Curb Appeal Overview

Curb appeal is defined as how visually-enticing a property appears after viewing said location from afar.

Most people have either visited or passed through different neighborhoods and witnessed homes and grounds inspiring immediate awe and pleasant envy. Properties with optimal curb appeal inspire viewers to take a closer look and if it is for sale and they possess the funds, even purchase the property.

The Importance Of Curb Appeal

Industry professionals maintain that curb appeal is important for three key reasons including:

• Aesthetic Quality

Homes with heightened curb appeal are typically well-kempt, well-manicured, clean, stylish, colorful, and inviting.

• Property Value

In many cases, properties displaying better curb appeal receive higher assessed values than those lacking such attributes. Researchers have concluded that, on average, properties with greater perceptible allure often sell for seven percent more than similar properties.

• Expedited Sales Process

Homes with favorable curb appeal typically sell much faster than less visually-inspiring grounds. Estimates have found that such constructions could be purchased within weeks, sometimes days after landing on the open market.

Seven Tips To Enhance Curb Appeal

Applying a fresh coat of paint to a structure's exterior  often pays immediate dividends. Administration of  a  bright  color makes the home look newer. Moreover, the brightness  and shininess of a recent paint job is often  inviting  and  attracts notice.

Cleaning  may  seem  like  a  nondescript  and  broad  term.  That  said, engaging in such action is vital to elevating a property's curb appeal.

Real estate professionals and home care experts stress placing added emphasis on the hardscape areas  of  the  house's  grounds. This includes places, such as exterior siding, walkways, porches, steps, driveways, garage floors, and any other visible structures.

Any or all of these features possess the ability to accumulate large concentrations of dirt, dust, allergens, leaves, and  various  other environmental debris. Washing away these detrimental materials should significantly improve the property's overall appearance.

Large components like siding might necessitate remediation using power or  pressure  washing  equipment.  These  jobs  are  often performed using specialized equipment. Therefore, for safety and  efficacy  purposes,  a  professional  washing  company  might  be required.

Naturally,    major   landscaping   upgrades   are   typically   best executed by  professional  companies.  That said,  homeowners can perform simple curb appeal -boosting  exercises,  including removing   weeds   or  other  unsightly  growths  from  lawns  or shrubs, fertilizing the lawn when needed, trimming bushes, and watering grass or flowers regularly.

Though likely overlooked and often taken  for  granted,  homeowners  should  never  underestimate  the  front  door's  importance. Anyone who visits or enters the home views this feature. Ergo, upgrading its appearance makes perfect sense.

Home improvement experts suggest this undertaking could be executed in several  ways,  such  as  changing  the  door's  colors  to match surrounding exterior decor and replacing old features, like knobs, handles, and knocking devices with more modern versions. 

Real   estate    professionals    strongly    recommend   installing exterior  lighting.   Completing   this  activity   enables   property owners to illuminate and highlight their home's grounds during evening hours. 

Additionally, lighting increases the location's  safety  by  offering visual reference points for  people  to  walk.  Moreover,  lighting might also serve as theft-deterrent.

These two exterior components are vital to an acreage's visual  appeal.  Many  real  estate  experts  maintain that  few issues raise more red flags about potential purchasable premises than aged, tiring,  or  unkempt  roofs  or  gutters.   Unfortunately, roofing upgrades are not simple, do-it-yourself  exercises,  and  are  usually  expensive.  However,  these  undertakings  bear paramount importance.

Little  problems  often  add  up.   For  example, visible eyesores, including ripped screens, blown light bulbs, chipped tiling,  and cracked walkways often give the impression that the property is old or poorly maintained.

General Considerations

Curb appeal enhancement can prove daunting. That said, the task may be made easier  by  performing actions,  like conducting a property inventory to determine the issues necessitating attention, budgeting the funds to address these projects, and allocating the most appropriate time to begin and, above all, finish said endeavors.