Some people call it 'window dressing', but adding visual appeal to the exterior of a home can work wonders for both buyers and sellers.

When selling a home, often it's how well it 'shows' on the outside that determines whether the inside ever gets seen. The outside of a home tells a potential buyer a lot about what they might find inside. If the driveway is cracked, shutters are broken, the paint is chipping, grass and flowerbeds are overgrown, few buyers will be attracted. How well a home 'shows' will also influence the final sale price.

A fresh coat of paint, minor repairs, sparkling windows, a wreath at the door and a bright border of flowers may be all you need to create some quick curb appeal. Investing just a few hundred dollars on simple fix-ups can increase the value of your home by several times that amount.

Making your home look more attractive doesn't always require major improvements. If you are selling, don't go overboard with major repairs, landscaping or decorating. When submitting an offer to purchase, most prospective buyers will take into account major faults like an old roof or windows that need replacing.

Imagination, not money, is the key to simple fix-ups. Sure, new railing or a new front verandah might add a lot of curb appeal. But at a lot less cost, so will a couple of wicker chairs and potted flowers by the front door.

Before you make any changes, walk out to the curb and take a close, objective look at your home. Study the view from different angles. Ask friends and neighbors for their unbiased opinions. What's appealing about your home and what's not so appealing?

Then identify areas that can use a small facelift. What can you do to improve the appearance?

If the exterior roof, gutter, walls, driveway, garage and yard look dirty and untidy, chances are you're not going to get a lot of potential buyers knocking at the door. First impressions begin on the outside. And peeling paint, untrimmed shrubs, broken doors and windows, loose screens and railings don't make a home look very inviting.

To make your home more attractive and inviting at low cost, consider the following tips:

Repair any minor damage yourself

Things like replacing a few roof shingles, repairing loose hinges on windows and doors, fixing storm doors and window screens, caulking window exteriors, cleaning and repairing sidings and other structural flaws -- are all easy to do. Home improvement centres are a good place to go for advice.

Clean up the yard

Mow the lawn, trim the hedges, weed the flower beds, get rid of dead trees and shrubs and broken lawn furniture. Shovel the walk and driveway in winter and always rake the yard before winter sets in.

Get rid of clutter

If you have yard and construction debris piled up along the side of your home, or elsewhere, get rid of it. The exterior should be as uncluttered in appearance as the interior. This includes cleaning out the garage - a major breeder of clutter. Be ruthless. If you haven't used something in a year, give it to charity or recycle it.

Spruce up siding

Before rushing to paint siding, try washing it. For painted wood siding and aluminum siding, use a solution of one cup strong detergent and one quart chlorine bleach in three gallons of water. Be sure to wear rubber gloves, goggles and other protective garments. Work from the bottom up and rinse thoroughly. To clean vinyl siding, hose it down, sponge it with a mild liquid detergent, then rinse.

Brighten up with paint

A simple paint job can do wonders for the exterior of a home. To make a low house look more graceful and tall from the curb, emphasize its vertical features by painting elements -- such as doors, shutters and corner trim -- in a color that contrasts with the siding material.

You can also make a tall house look lower by using a contrasting paint colour on windowsills and fascia boards, by painting it a dark colour -- provided that the roof is dark too. In the same way, you can use a light and dark colours to make a home look larger.

Flower power

Well-placed flowers, trees and shrubs can really make the outside of a home look inviting. Attractive landscaping can also increase the value of a home as much as 10 per cent. Even without major landscaping, flowers can make a yard look colorful and pleasant. Plant them in garden beds, hang them from railings and porch ceilings or add flower boxes to windowsills.

The above article was prepared on behalf of the members of the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board for the information and benefit of consumers.

April, 1995
rev Jan 1998, June 2001