Home ownership involves an ongoing adventure of investing your heart, soul, and money into making it - and keeping it - looking perfect. Some are lucky enough to have large budgets to spend on huge changes, but if you're working with more of a shoestring budget, you can still add your own special touches to your home. There are plenty of ways to personalize your home without spending a lot of money.
If you're looking to add some pizzazz to the outside of your home to take your curb appeal to the next level, check out these five impactful yet inexpensive renovations:
1. Replace your front door
According to Remodeling Magazine’s 2018 Cost Versus Value Report, replacing a front door at the top of the list of most valuable changes you can make to your home. A new door can provide energy savings but also create a brand new focal point for the exterior of your home. Whether you special order a door or paint a store-bought one a bright color, you can use changing your front door as an opportunity to really show your personality. Double doors, extra tall doors, frosted or stained glass doors, the list goes on. Also, don't forget your garage door while you’re upgrading entrances into your home. Like front doors, garage doors are becoming increasingly detailed, with lots of options for personalization. Because they take up so much real estate on the front of your house, a new garage door can make your home look completely different.
2. Choose a paint scheme with more than two colors.
No need to go crazy with a paint-by-numbers scheme, but using at least three colors strategically on the outside of your home can draw attention to special details details instead of letting them get lost in a monotone trim color. For example, brackets, corbels, and rails could all be painted to match the front door while shutters and trim are painted to match each other and the body of the home stays its own color. Just make sure you've got the color scheme approved by your HOA if necessary!
3. Add shutters and window boxes.
On the right house, shutters or window boxes can make a huge difference in the visual presentation of a home. If you add shutters, they should be an appropriate style for the home. Vinyl shutters allow for a low-maintenance option as you just hang them and forget about them. The same goes for window boxes; easy-to-maintain planters with colorful flowers will leave a lasting impression on guests and neighbors.
4. Update your light fixtures.
Don't forget that light fixtures offer a great opportunity to affordably display your personality on the front of your home. Generic carriage lights or clunky motion detectors can be replaced with new fixtures for an added pop of personality. There are so many kinds to choose from, many with motion detection built-in or time sensors and they come in many different styles, colors, and sizes. Like the shutters, make sure the lights match your home's overall look and feel, so they don't seem out of place.
5. Raise some flower beds.
Some do not have the green thumb that others are blessed with, and growing plants on your lawn can become a messy proposition and finicky to deal with. But built-up beds are easier to maintain than patches in the grass and they lend a bit of formality to the space. Plant beds can be used to create visual separators or highlight certain spaces. , so choose a location that makes sense, like along a walkway or up against the porch.
It doesn’t take a huge budget to make changes to the outward appearance of your home. Planning colors and accessories strategically makes all the difference, especially when you’re on a limited budget.
Not sure if you're ready for painting or installing fixtures yourself?
If you're like me and paint with the skill of a toddler or get electrocuted plugging in a hairdryer, you can also contact a professional to help you with your painting and installing needs. Reach out to me for a referral to a great local painter, electrician, or handyman. I have a great network of trusted real estate partners in the Tampa Bay area who can help from painting to plumbing and everything in between. Whether it's big or small, let me know who I can connect you with.
And if the thought of renovating is just too much for you and you'd rather sell and move to somewhere that's already completely renovated, contact me today to talk about what you need to do to get your home ready to sell!