Don’t Make These Deadly Curb Appeal Mistakes

When it comes to beautifying your home, one of the most important things you can do is focus on your home’s curb appeal. Curb appeal is a phrase designers and real estate specialists use to describe how a home looks from the outside.

Is it welcoming? Is it beautiful? Does it make people stop and stare?

For everyday people, though, mastering curb appeal can be a trial-and-error process. As you seek to spruce up your home’s exterior, avoid these massive curb appeal mistakes:

1. Over-Cluttering Your Yard

Let’s face it: clutter doesn’t look good anywhere — inside or outside of the home.  As such, a cluttered yard can take down your home’s curb appeal in a minute. Although it’s obvious that junk like broken-down cars and discarded furniture will make your home look less than beautiful, you can also over-clutter your yard with things that are supposed to be there, like garden furniture, gazing globes, and even bird feeders.

With this in mind, take an objective look at your outdoor space. If people might have a hard time navigating it because of all your trinkets, it may be time to clear the space. While a few nicely-placed outdoor furniture sets will help make the space more comfortable, going overboard will make it feel too busy.

2. Ugly Exterior Fixtures

Most homes have at least a few exterior fixtures. If these are outdated or old-looking, it may be time to update them. While they may seem like small additions, fixtures say a lot about your home. Modern, clean fixtures make your home look welcoming and bright, while old, outdated fixtures age your home unnecessarily.

3. A Bad Paint Job

Whether your home is McDonald’s yellow or simply in need of a touch-up, a bad paint job can do a number on your curb appeal. If you can’t we paint the exterior of the home entirely, it’s well worth your while to at least touch up the paint while you can. Not only does peeling paint look ugly, but it can also make your home more vulnerable to the elements, leading to costly repairs and renovations down the road.

If your home’s paint is peeling, hire a painting company to sand off the rough bits and update it with a matching color. If the paint is in good shape but you’re not crazy about the way it makes your home look, spruce it up by painting the trim or your front door.

4. Not Caring About Curb Appeal

Even if you don’t fancy yourself the designer type, caring about curb appeal matters. Not only does a beautiful exterior boost your home’s value, but it also makes the space feel more welcoming for you and your guests. Even if the steps you take are simple ones, paying attention to your home’s curb appeal and avoid curb appeal mistakes is essential.

When you focus on avoiding problematic curb appeal mistakes at your home, you can make the space more beautiful and enjoy knowing that your home makes people stop and stare.