Whether shopping online or in-person, a home’s exterior makes or breaks the first impression. So, ensuring properties have exceptional curb appeal can be the difference between a buyer pulling it off the market and it sitting idle on the market for months.
Despite popular belief, increasing curb appeal doesn’t have to be an expensive endeavor. In fact, minor changes can have significant impacts, vastly boosting a home’s chance of selling quickly, especially along the New Jersey shore.
The Key Factors of Great Curb Appeal
Whether we’re talking about homes for sale in Atlantic County or any other location, a few factors universally affect a property’s curb appeal. Typically, the key aspects are as follows:
- Front door — Consider the front door the home’s face. For maximum curb appeal, doorways should welcome people inside while aligning with the exterior aesthetic.
- Siding and roof — Color, condition, and material all play vital roles here. Worn or faded siding could tell the potential buyer that the home isn’t properly maintained. As for color, darker hues tend to create a cozier appearance, whereas lighter shades communicate formality or grandeur.
- Windows — They’re the eyes of all homes. Thus, clean, well-maintained, nicely painted windows are the most attractive.
- Landscaping — Trees and plants bring front yards to life and help homes blend into their surroundings. Expertly landscaped gardens boost curb appeal exponentially.
- Lighting and fixtures — The finishing touches (i.e., mailboxes, light fixtures, etc.) seal the curb appeal deal. They should be clean, well-maintained, and fit aesthetically with the rest of the home.
Wallet-Friendly Pointers to Boost Curb Appeal in New Jersey
As mentioned, increasing curb appeal doesn’t need to be expensive, especially when following these five top tips:
Spruce Up the Porch
Porches are the eye-catching to potential buyers — they want to feel welcomed by the decor, paint colors, and seating.
Adding a few chairs, ottomans, a coffee table, and some accent pillows can give the front porch a stylish yet cozy upgrade, increasing the chances of selling.
Fresh Exterior Paint
Nothing beats a fresh paint job. Adverse conditions and the general passing of time wears exterior walls. But by applying new paint, sellers can reverse the clock and breathe new life into their homes.
Exterior colors should be aligned with the rest of the street but also enhance the architecture of the specific building.
Add Plants
Greenery is a surefire way to increase curb appeal with ease. It doesn’t have to be expensive, either. Seeds are relatively cheap these days; it’s just a case of waiting for them to blossom.
Switch Out the Light Fixtures
If the light fixtures are old or unpleasing, change them. Try finding a stylish sconce or lantern that complements your color scheme. It’s also a good idea to ensure the bulbs emit warm light — buyers are looking for a place to call home and warm hues produce those cozy vibes.
Wash and Paint Windows
Sea air is harsh on paint and home exteriors. Washing and repainting the windows gives homes the finishing touches they need to look great from the curb. The best part? The task can usually be finished in a day.
Mailbox
This item probably isn’t the first thing to come to mind for enhancing curb appeal, but with the mailbox residing in many cases literally at the curb, it’s a high-visibility piece of décor that can enhance that first impression of the home. If you’ve got one of those boring, featureless plastic tube mailboxes that’s now fading, cracking, and shifting put it out with the recycling and replace it with something more regal.
If your current mailbox does complement your home in style and architecture, but just needs a little love, take the time to repaint or stain it and you’ll be so happy with the result you’ll ask yourself why you didn’t do this years ago!
New Jersey Real Estate Blog | Soleil Sotheby's International Realty 