We take a lot of pride in our homes and the longer we live there, we’re bound to make some improvements along the way. Heck, when you’re thinking about selling your home, you have to keep in mind that the more work you put into your home (home improvements, regular maintenance, upgrades, etc.), the more your home will be worth.
Of all the upgrades and improvements you could do, outdoor projects that boost curb appeal can give you the most bang for your buck. According to HomeLight’s Spring 2022 insights report, if you spend $3,467 on improving your curb appeal, it could add an estimated $11,718 in resale value!
So what projects should you focus your attention on first? Which curb appeal projects are more likely to boost resale value?
1. Basic lawn care
Basic lawn care speaks for itself. Simply by taking care of the lawn, you could see a 539% return on investment. Real estate agents estimate that if you spend $340 on lawn care (cutting the grass, fertilizing it, and weed control), that could add $1,833 in resale value.
2. Lay fresh mulch
Laying fresh mulch around trees and in flower beds not only makes everything look nicer. Mulch is available in three colors: black, brown, and red. You can’t go wrong with black or brown, but if you’re drawn to red mulch, keep in mind that this color looks best if you have a lot of terra cotta or warm tones outdoors.
If you spend the estimated $275 for mulch, you could see $1,474 in added resale value. That’s a 536% return on investment!
3. Upgrading landscaping features
Upgrading various landscaping features usually requires a larger investment since you’ll be doing things like installing a new walkway, creating flower beds, planting new shrubs, and resealing the driveway. Real estate experts estimate that projects like these can cost around $4,500, but when you sell, it’ll add around $6,235 in resale value.
While it’s not a huge increase like basic lawn care and fresh mulch, a 39% increase is still nice!
4. Exterior paint
Everything looks better with a fresh coat of paint, and the exterior of your home is no different. Over time, the sun will cause the color to fade, it may begin to chip away, and it just makes the house look… less than perfect.
If you spend the estimated cost of $3,000 for a fresh coat on the exterior of your home, that would net you an estimated $7,571 in resale value. That’s a 152% increase, which means it more than pays for itself at the end of the day!
5. New garage door
If you have a garage, a new garage door can dramatically change the look of your home. Just imagine how fresh and inviting your home will look with a new paint job and a garage door that compliments the color perfectly!
On average, you’re looking at spending $1,200 for a new garage door. But when you sell the house, that garage door can add $2,797 in resale value – that’s a 133% increase on investment.
Choose home improvement projects that pay off
There are so many different projects that you can do to increase the value of your home, it can be a daunting task trying to decide which projects to do first. Even if you decide not to do anything to the interior of your home, you should at least do some of these projects to boost curb appeal. Should you spend the bare minimum on lawn care and fresh mulch, that could increase the value of your home by at least $3,400!
Not too bad for the bare minimum, right?
