10 Ways to Improve Your Home's Exterior

When it comes to interior renovations, there are many ways to improve the overall resale value of your home. The problem with interior renovations is their return on investment (ROI) is subjective. There are statistics that the experts agree on that you can use, but it all comes down to which room a given buyer cares about more, the market, and the cost of supplies in your area.

However, the one “interior” renovation that beats them all in terms of ROI is installing a new garage door. Why? Because it takes up at least 20% of the street-facing view of the property. So if you want to really boost curb appeal, exterior renovations are the way to go. Here, we'll cover the top 10 exterior renovations for the front of your house that you can make to easily drive resale value through the roof!

10 Best House Front Ideas to Improve Your Home's Exterior

While we are talking about ROI in terms of resale, we know a lot of homeowners simply want to know how to make the front of your house look good for their own enjoyment. Don't worry, these will work for you too, and they'll give you a nice instant curb appeal lift.

1. Just Tidy Up

The idea here is to get the most mileage out of the least amount of work. That being the case, you'll be surprised at how much better your home will look by just taking care of a few seemingly minor details. Prime examples are cleaning up leaves, dusting the driveway, bleaching out oil stains in the carport, and taking care of any noticeable weeds.

2. Simple Landscaping

Once the yard is free of clutter, you'll be able to spot areas where a row of flowers, a new contour to the lawn, or even just a few simple decorations would make a big difference. Any place there's space, you can add a new feature, sculpt out an old one, and make your front yard look twice as nice.

3. Spruce Up Your Driveway & Sidewalk

Improving on a concrete slab can be a bit of a head-scratcher, but you can do it with some simple cleanup. Start by pressure washing out any stains. Concrete can be stripped and resurfaced with additional flares like tile and stones, or just add a new surface for a cleaner look.

4. Decorate the Front Porch

After giving the exterior wall, deck, and rails a good cleaning, consider adding a piece or two of all-weather outdoor patio furniture. Turning a simple platform into a living space with a few attractive items will help potential buyers to imagine how they would live there- and that's the most important part of selling a home.

5. Paint!

Before decking out your deck with other front porch curb appeal ideas, give the forward-facing exterior walls a fresh coat of paint. Resurface wooden decks, paint and/or stain rails and steps. Painting the exterior or second in ROI only to the new garage door we mentioned earlier.

6. Think About the Little Things

In kitchens and bathrooms, we often refurbish or replace highly noticeable items like faucets, knobs, lights, and so on. We can do the same thing outdoors by giving a once-over to window frames, paint or resurface trim, and of course, all the bells and whistles on your landscaping.

7. Front Door Makeover

Speaking of the little things, the front door is the single most important little thing. Like the garage door, it takes up a lot of mental real estate on your home's face, and it's the final statement the front yard has to say to visitors before they enter. So, make your front door stand out with a fresh coat of paint, or install a new door with beautiful stained or frosted glass. The options are many.

8. Don't Forget the Garage Door

A nice-looking garage door is a huge boon to your home's curb appeal. Some buyers want a classic, wooden door that's beautiful, and some would rather have the convenience of an automatic door. They can look great too, but to make the right choice, you might consult your local real estate professional for the latest trends.

9. Lighten Up!

Whether you're selling your home or not, exterior lighting looks great and can be very useful. Many of today's exterior lights are solar-powered, weather-resistant, and offer a host of useful security, atmospheric, and lighting features. A little light goes a long way.

10. Get Your Roof in Tip-Top Shape

Possibly the most important thing is your roof. It should be a color and a shape that matches the style of your home and that suits the weather in your area. Most important of all is to make sure it is in good condition. It only takes a few imperfections to turn your curb appeal down significantly.

Get in touch with the home exterior pros at Window and Door Showplace for more helpful tips on making your home exterior look great, feel great, and boost equity.