This post was sponsored by Opendoor, however all opinions expressed are my own. Thank you so much for supporting brands that support my family!
Spring weather is finally here in Atlanta and I am all for it! All of the signs are here: the birds are chirping and singing, trees and flowers are blooming, and the pollen is in full force. Although I am ready for pollen season to be over, I am loving this warm weather – it makes me want to stay outside all day long!
For us specifically, spring is also a sign that busy season is finally coming to an end for Ian and that is seriously the best news ever. After busy season is over, we always focus on traveling more and working on our house more, as well. This year, house projects are even more of a priority to me, because I want our future baby to come home to a clean and ‘perfect’ house (I’m trying to be realistic about it, though!). I never thought I’d say that because I am a person that believes in experiences over ‘things,’ but I am really wanting to improve our house and tackle so many house projects this spring and summer so that we are comfortable bringing baby Berger home in the fall!
So, over the spring season, we are working on the outside of our house and then hopefully we will get around to a few indoor projects, as well (I really, really, really want to replace our kitchen flooring, install ceiling fans in the guest room + nursery, and hopefully get a new kitchen table and maybe a new couch(es), as well). Needless to say, we have a lot to do, but I am thrilled to get it all started!
Since we are focusing on the outside of our house this spring, I wanted to take the time to talk curb appeal with you all today. Curb appeal is SO important because it is the first impression people get of your home and you as a person, as well. If you are thinking about selling your home at any point in the future, the curb appeal of your home is essential because the first impression that people get of your home definitely has the potential to make or break a sale, and it can also increase the value of your home significantly. In fact, Opendoor lists improving curb appeal as one of the ways to increase your home’s value. These are projects visible on the exterior like doors, siding, painting, windows, and gutters. They often cost less than major remodels on the inside of the home but create curb appeal (which can result in increased sales prices) and as a result, can create a higher return on investment.
For us, we believe that it is easier to keep up with all of the projects over time vs. cramming them in right before attempting to sell our house, which is why we focus on curb appeal all the time. Because of that, I want to take the time to share with you 5 easy ways to increase your curb appeal this spring. Let’s jump right in!
Look As An Outsider
The first actionable tip that I want to give you all is to look at your home from an outsider’s perspective. This is really hard to do, but imagine that you are buying a home and allow yourself to really point out the ‘bad’ things about it.
When Ian and I did this with our home, we picked out so many things that we needed to fix in and around our home. For example, we have a crack in our foundation, which we knew about when we bought the house. Our home inspector told us it was more than likely okay, so we opted to not have it checked out by a professional, but I know that when we go to sell our home, there is a great possibility that our buyers will want it checked out, so we have that on our ‘to do’ list. Another item that we pointed out was our siding. It desperately needs to be pressure washed, painted, and repaired in a few places.
Looking as an outsider really helps you make smart and informed decisions when it comes to your spring to do list. Sure, you want to get new patio furniture, but if you have to choose between that or a paint job, which is more important to you now and more importantly, in the long run?
A Paint Refresh
A paint refresh is a fantastic way to increase your curb appeal for spring and this is something that Ian and I desperately need to prioritize in the next couple of months. We took the time this past weekend to get started on a few smaller tasks, like painting our mailbox ourselves, but for the bigger tasks – like getting our entire exterior painted – we are just going to have to hire a company to do it because we do not have the time or skills to paint the entire exterior of our house ourselves. Hiring a painting company to do the job for us is 100% worth it to me, though, because an exterior paint job is one of the number one recommended projects to do before considering selling a home. Plus, it’s one of the major items that our HOA looks for when sending out notices, so we definitely need a professional to make sure the job is done correctly. Ian and I already had the interior of our home painted and had the popcorn ceilings removed when we first moved in, so now it’s time to have the exterior painted and ‘renovated.’
Pressure Washing
Pressure washing is a quick and relatively inexpensive way to increase your curb appeal this spring. It’s also really satisfying to see the dirt and grime wash away! If you are concerned about pressure washing your home yourself, hire someone to do it for you, but you can definitely tackle your sidewalk, driveway, and other cement surfaces yourself. Pressure washing might not dramatically increase the value of your home, but it sure does make it look good and it’s easy to do!
Yard Cleanup
This is what Ian and I usually focus on each spring season. Before we moved into this home about three years ago, we had an herb garden, but now, we plant a full vegetable garden, in addition to our herb garden, each spring. We usually include vegetables such as squash or zucchini (we made the mistake of planting both, right next to each other last year!), tomatoes, lettuce, and so many other fun veggies. We also focus on spraying (and pulling) any weeds, adding new mulch, raking up any leftover leaves from the fall season, and carrying out a ton of sticks that have piled up over the fall and winter months. We have a bi-weekly yard service that helps us keep up with our bushes and our grass, but if you do not have this, I highly recommend trimming your bushes (and/or trees) and cutting your grass on a regular basis this spring, as well!
Lighting
Last but not least, focusing on your lighting can also help increase your curb appeal! A well-lit yard always stands out to me when I’m driving down our street and it makes me think about how I need to work on that in my own yard. In addition to boosting the curb appeal, a well-lit yard can also help increase the safety and security of your home, because what burglar would want to be illuminated while breaking into a home? Probably not a smart one. 😉
Increasing your curb appeal this spring is a great way to fall in love with your home again while also potentially boosting the value of your home and if you didn’t know, spring is the number 1 time people think about listing their homes and May-August is peak real estate season, so if you are considering selling your home, now’s a great time to think about potential projects. Or, you can get an offer from Opendoor and skip the hassle of prepping your home altogether!
Ian and I are not quite at that point yet, but are always very open in our discussions about potentially selling our home in the future, and our conversations and research led us to finding Opendoor, an awesome option for sellers here in Atlanta and more than 20 other markets nationwide. Simply enter your home address, answer some basic questions, and if your home is eligible,you can get an all cash, competitive offer on your home within 48 hours! This means that you can sell directly to Opendoor without having to prep your home, list your home, show your home, or leave your home for open houses. After accepting their offer, Opendoor conducts a free in-person home assessment, can make any necessary repairs on your behalf, and you just choose your close date, collect the funds from your sale, and then move on. Easy peasy – seriously!
One of my fears when it comes to buying a new house in the future has always been finding a home that we absolutely fall in love with, but we end up losing it because we cannot find a buyer for our current home in time. Opendoor takes away that fear for me and apparently a lot of other people feel the same way because the concept is really taking off in the ATL area.
For home buyers, the Opendoor app is super cool – every single for sale home is available for self-guided tours seven days a week from 6am-9pm and you do not need appointments since you are able to use the Opendoor app as your key for a self-guided tour. How cool is that?!
So, if you are considering selling your home contact Opendoor for your free, no obligation offer. There’s really nothing to lose!