Whether you are selling your home, or you just want it to look its best, curb appeal is something that must be focused on. You can add quite a bit of value to your home with just a few simple fixes, but before you start, it is important to think about what your home’s curb appeal currently says, and what you would like it to say.

We all make assumptions based on what we visually perceive. If that weren’t the case, you wouldn’t be told not to judge a book by its cover. But the truth is, we do judge by exterior appearances, whether we realize it or not, and if your home is sending the wrong message, you may be driving off potential buyers. In order to get started, it’s a good idea to get in front of your house and take a picture.

We recommend this step because you may be missing things when you’re just looking at your house normally. We get inured to certain details, like that coil of hose you’ve been meaning to put away for three months, and we start to block out areas that may need a little help. By taking a photograph of your home from your curb, you’ll be getting a fresh perspective. You may also want to drive around and look for homes that evoke the response you’re looking for from your own home. Take pictures of them (if the owners don’t mind) and compare them.

Once you have your picture in front of you, write down your instant impression of your home. Is it welcoming, junky, a bit run down, elegant, happy….etc… Find the emotion that comes to mind first and this will be your starting point for making improvements. At this stage, it is a good idea to write down your goals so that you can keep them in front of you when you begin implementing the changes.

Now that you know what your home’s curb appeal says, it’s time to find out if you need to change that, and how to go about it. For example, if your first reaction was “wow, that is one messy yard,” you can start to take the steps to clean it up. Try focusing on one area at a time and take a picture each time your tasks are completed. This helps you keep a running log of your progress and will allow you to see what is changing from a different perspective.

It may take a few tweaks to get your home to the point where the first impression is where you want it to be. Just be patient and take your time. If you are under the wire and need to sell your house quickly, you may need to move a little faster and try to get more done at once until you have your desired result.

With a little effort and the right perspective, your home’s curb appeal can say exactly what you want it to.

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Aesthetics, Curb Appeal, Handy Man

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assumptions, Curb Appeal, emotion, first reaction, improvements, perspective, photograph, selling your home, three months, truth, weren