There is no doubt that increasing your home’s curb appeal is a tried and true way to add to your home’s marketability and value. After all, it is recommended that sellers refresh their home’s curb appeal before listing by over 96% of real estate agents. In the south central region, curb appeal will drastically increase your home’s value. According to real estate agents it can add 9% to your home’s value. With that much of an increase it is beneficial to anyone selling their home in the Houston, Texas area to clean up their outdoor area and invest in a few curb appeal projects.
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Update Your Front Porch
For many years, the front porch was considered no more than the spot where packages were delivered and the occasional seasonal wreath was hung. However, in recent years the value of an updated usable front porch has increased. In the south central area the value of a front porch has increased by 69%. In order to make your front porch a curb appeal asset you should first clear it of dirt, cobwebs, and clutter. Wash the front porch floor with a mop and warm soapy water. Next, wash around your windows and front door with a soft cloth and warm soapy water. Next, seating will create a sense of warmth and invitation to home buyers. Adirondack chairs and rocking chairs are the most popular front porch seats. Amplify your front porch even more with a few potted ferns around the front door or a wreath. For a final addition of ambience you can hang solar lanterns or solar railing lights to your front porch.
Basic Yard Care
Houston, Texas is known for being an area with dense grass and thick green grazing areas for cattle and other livestock. If you are looking to amplify your curb appeal you’ll need to trim, fertilize, and weed your grass. Fertilize your lawn according to the type of grass you have. Bermudagrass is the most popular grass type in Texas because it needs very little shade and can withstand high foot traffic. This type of grass will need to be mowed every three to seven days and should remain at a mowing height of approximately two inches. If you lawn has large amounts of dandelions or white clovers you can use a weed and feed fertilizer or simply control the weeds with a weed specific product.
Install Artificial Turf
It can be difficult to keep your yard from turning brown and your flowers from dying when you live in an area that is prone to excessive heat. If you find that keeping up with your yard involves continual lawn treatments you may want to consider adding artificial turf. Many homeowners in Texas have switched to artificial turf in the past few years. HomeLight agents estimate that the value of artificial grass landscaping has increased 85% over the past 12 months in the South Central region. Many Texas homeowners use artificial grass in only a small area of their yard, such as the backyard and pair it with other forms of grass, rock gardens, and xeriscaping.
Use Hardscaping
According to 40% of HomeLight real estate agents hardscaping is a low-maintenance landscaping technique that is valuable to promote your home’s listing. Hardscaping can be added in many forms. The most popular hardscaping is a stone walkway around the front of your house. Other hardscaping includes patios, decks, retaining walls, and gazebos. Small additions of natural stone add to the natural beauty of a landscaped area when it is used as a border.
Add Native Plants
The best landscaping is the one that does not require excess work and can thrive without much intervention from homeowners. Native Houston, Texas plants come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Like native plants from other areas of the country, they each have their own sun and shade requirements as well as watering needs. Native trees include Texas olive and southern wax myrtle. Smaller plants include Texas lantana, autumn sage, eastern purple cornflower, and black-eyed susan. Each of these plants can be added to a small or large landscaped area that is covered in mulch. Landscaping with low-maintenance plants creates a clean polished look around your home and the bright colors add visual interest.
Create Ambience with Lighting
Sure, the sunshine in Houston, Texas is more than enough to keep your curb appeal shining during the day, but when the sun sets you need something to keep up the glow. Enter outdoor solar lights. The outdoor features are easy to install and do not require any additional investment in utilities. Solar lights range from extra large to very small and can be placed anywhere that receives several hours of sun throughout the day. Popular outdoor lights are pathway lights and landscaping lights. These can be pushed into the ground around your walkway and in between your plans in your landscaped areas for a low ambient glow. If you need more light you can add a high lumen spotlight or solar activated overhead light to the side of your house or above your garage door. Other solar lights that add ambience are hanging lanterns and string lights which can be added to trees or around the back patio.
By utilizing a few of the above curb appeal ideas you can add to your home’s marketability and its overall value. Keep your curb appeal simple and low-maintenance rather than over the top and complicated. This will attract more buyers and make them more likely to purchase your home. Remember that a trusted Houston, Texas real estate agent can guide you in the right direction if you are concerned about what curb appeal project will get you the best bang for your buck.