First impressions, for the most part, are fairly important. This is specially so when it comes to real estate. Whether you’re buying, selling, renting or investing, the first time you walk up or in to a home is memorable and leaves an impression. From the front yard, the landscaping, or lack thereof, to the windows and doors, curb appeal plays a role in how you view the value of the home and property itself and can even make or break a sale.
According to the National Association of Realtors, 63 percent of homebuyers will drop by a house they like after viewing it online. Oftentimes buyers will make this decision based solely on seeing an exterior image of the home in the hopes that the snapshot they saw is indicative of its interior too. As the curb appeal trend continues to influence and entice homebuyers and sellers, here are a few ways to help maximize the value of your property at first glance.
Knock, Knock
The trends in doors, as they have for years, are continuing towards wider and taller entrances. Homeowners are opting for contemporary designs, with straight, simple lines and little or no embossing. Manufacturers are also seeing a push for fiberglass doors, especially those that emulate wood grains for both their aesthetics and performance value.
Colour is also one of the easiest, and cost effective, ways for an entrance door to stand out. Homeowners are gravitating towards bolder hues and whether they opt to buy a coloured door or simply paint it, this trend can be a budget-friendly way to increase curb appeal. For more on this year’s door design forecast visit pg. 16.
A Little Pane for a lot of Profit
Windows are also taking a bigger role of the home’s curb appeal. Design trends in both size and style are reigning high however, performance remains as important as ever to homeowners. In particular, two tones are trending when it comes to window fashion. On the exterior, black windows are becoming even more popular and modern-contemporary styles, featuring right angles, straight lines and simplicity continue to gain traction in the windows market. This trend has had a similar effect in doors, cabinetry and other areas of the home. For more on window trends for 2017 visit pg. 48.
Siding for the Win
There has been a definite shift in the past few years when it comes to siding. This includes homeowners favouring a more sophisticated, timeless palette. The trend here is to blend siding with wood or stone. The fact that homeowners have so many choices to colour coordinate the siding with the other materials keep this trend on the upward side. For more on roofing and siding trends visit pg. 34.
Beds, Borders and Blooms
According to a 2017 Landscape Trends Study conducted by houzz, when it came to cultivating curb appeal, more than half of those updating their front yards say that beds or borders (47%), shrubs (29%), and perennials (28%) are the most important features of their home’s curb appeal. Although it’s just as important to landscape and manicure your grass and hedges, adding a pop of colour with bulbs and blooms is the current trend. For those homeowners who don’t have a “green thumb”, this trend includes adding potted plants and other distinctive vases, urns or containers that will elevate your yard to a higher level of appeal and beauty.
R&R for your ROI
With the spring and summer months still signaling busy seasons for the real estate market, “rest” or “relax” stations are ever more popular. Two-thirds of homeowners use their outdoor spaces for relaxing (69%), from gardening to entertaining to spending time with their family.* From the patio furniture to the backyard accessories, homeowners are looking for a retreat style getaway that they can escape to whenever needed. Before this trend was relegated to the backyard but has now transitioned into the front of the home as well. More and more, seats, swings, loungers or benches have become part of the entrance décor and amplified the home’s curb appeal.
There is no denying that in the ever increasing competitive real estate market, curb appeal is becoming one of the most important factors in gauging the value of a home. For homeowners looking to sell, it’s the ideal way to drive more traffic to their listing. For those buying, a first impression oftentimes determines the general feeling of the home. And, for homeowners anchored where they are, the curb appeal trend is an invest-ment that is sure to increase overall enjoyment and property worth for years to come.
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* For more information on the
2017 Landscape Trends Survey
visit houzz.com
Photo courtesy of Mitten by PlyGem