Chicago Home and Lifestyles – 5 ways to boost your homes curb appeal

Even if you have no immediate plans to put your home on the market, you should keep curb appeal in mind when doing upgrades in front of your home and landscape. Before buyers even go inside, they are already forming opinions. Here are a few things to avoid, thereby improving your curb appeal. 

Too many colors. Some people like to show their personal style with bright trim colors or unconventional siding—but it’s not market friendly. Stick with timeless neutrals. Stay away from the bold front door. It should complement the home’s architectural style and overall palette.

Lavish landscaping. Elaborate flower beds, towering hedges and topiaries need ongoing maintenance that can be costly and cause headaches for new buyers. Keep it low maintenance and clean. Trimmed hedges, fresh mulch and a few pops of color are much less daunting. 

Outdated or flashy fixtures. Old sconces and massive lanterns may seem like you’re making a statement, but trendy today can feel not so on trend a year later. Colorful uplighting can feel like light pollution. Choose warm-toned fixtures that enhance the architecture. LED options offer energy efficiency.

Busy entrance. Keep the entrance to the home clean and simple with a simple doormat and no more than two planters. You can get carried away with multiple planters, welcome signs and seasonal décor, but remember, less is more!

Too much decorative stone. Gravel may seem low maintenance, but without a proper base weeds take over and the clean look is gone. Limit it to accent zones and make sure it’s properly installed. Defined walkways that are made of durable materials last much longer with less maintenance.  

Kathleen Weaver-Zech and Dean’s Team Chicago