This is a guest post by Laura Farr, landscape designer at Earth Essence Designs in Maryland.
I started changing paint colors the day I closed and received keys. I consulted my favorite interior designer, Colleen Mitchell from Redbird Redesign. She has helped me pick every color in my house and I couldn’t be happier. This tip is simple but easy to ignore - painting can go a long way when it comes to curb appeal.
Adding colorful pots with annuals is a great way to dress up a front porch and draw your eye to the front door. Furniture, accent pillows, hanging baskets and a rug are all great investments for a front porch.
Think about what time of year you will be putting your house on the market. I would select plants that will bloom and flourish at that time of year. If I am putting the house on the market in the fall, I’m going to be thinking about planting sedum, asters, mums, ornamental grasses and shrubs with great fall color. If I’m going to putting the house on the market in the spring, I’m going to want to plant spring blooming bulbs and flowering shrubs. In winter and early spring evergreens are going to be important to hold the structure of the landscape when everything else is bare. The heat of the summer is the hardest season for plants. Consider planting hydrangeas and roses for summer color. I would also add annuals for color and be sure to water regularly.
Curb appeal and landscaping in general is important not only to get buyers in the door, but it also increases the value of your property. Here are a few of the experts that the American Society of Landscape Architects have gathered on the subject.
"Landscaping can increase the value of your property by as much as 20 percent - if it is done well." - This Old House Magazine
"Spending 5 percent of the total value of your home on landscaping, and doing it wisely, can add 15 percent or more to the value of your home". - Smart Money Magazine
"Homes with nice landscaping are likely to see sales prices that are 4 percent to 5 percent higher than compared to similar properties in the neighborhood, according to the Guide for Plant Appraisal, published by the International Society of Arboriculture. And homes with landscapes that are not as nice as others in the neighborhood could see sales prices that are 8 percent to 10 percent lower".- Baltimore Sun
"Landscape design and installation offers the best return on investment of any home improvement you can make". - Money Magazine
See more expert quotes on why curb appeal is a good investment here
A small investment in curb appeal goes a long way. Do what you can and if you get overwhelmed, hire a professional to help!
Request your home value consultation here!