May Is National Moving Month: Let’s Get Your Home’s Exterior Ready

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Looking to sell your home and ready to make a great first impression? May is National Moving Month, so now is the perfect time to discuss how to get your home exterior ready for buyers — or even just for guests. Most potential home buyers decide within seconds if they want to go inside the home for another look. Therefore, it is imperative your home has notable curb appeal. You want to impress the house hunter by showing them you take care of your home’s exterior, because that leads them to believe you take care of your home’s interior, as well. Read on for our suggestions to pique a potential buyer’s interest.

According to Fortune Builders, nine out of ten home buyers start their search online. That means street appeal is everything! In this case, a picture is worth 1000 words. We at brick&batten, have helped thousands of homeowners amp up their curb appeal for this very reason! Learn more about our virtual exterior design services.

Our designers only use and recommend products that we know, love, or would use on our own properties. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission, at no cost to you.

Exterior design featuring beautiful flower beds lining a front walkway

#1 // Install a beautiful flower bed

Colorful flower beds catch the eye; however, installing flower beds should be done with care. There is a strategy for how and where to plant different colors for different blooming seasons. Mulch and flowers can be done fairly simply without dozens of trips to your local hardware store. Buyers are also attracted to properties with have plantings that highlight different features of the home. For example, plants and flowers flanking a doorway and shrubs or small bushes lining a walkway are smart ways to improve your existing curb appeal. 

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Before and after of a mid-century modern home with a new statement front door

#2 // Update your front door

Updating your front door is probably the most worthwhile and cost friendly way to make a great first impression to house hunters. Most doors provide 100% return on investment! Maybe it’s replacing a solid door with one that lets in more light, or something as simple as painting your current door to add a pop of fresh color. Either way, your goal is to make people feel welcome, so your door should be an inviting focal point.

Before and after of a home with updated exterior lighting

#3 // Clean up or replace your outdoor lighting

Lighting is a great way to showcase different landscape in the front and also provides security for those walking to the doorway. That said, lighting should be beautiful and functional! At brick&batten we see many gorgeous lights, but they aren’t sized correctly for the space they should be illuminating. The height of the light should be one-third to one-fourth the height of your door. Away with the tiny sconces… it’s better to be too big than too small! If your current lighting is properly sized and you still like its style, then be sure the glass is clean and free of cobwebs. If your light needs replaced, this is an easy fix and makes a huge improvement to your overall curb appeal.

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Red brick home with a clean façade

#4 // Clean it all up

Walk up your driveway and onto your sidewalk leading to the door. Are there cracks that need filled? If so, fill them! Are there weeds that need pulled? If so, pull them. Are there dirt, rust, oil, or other spills in an area that can be cleaned? If so, power wash the area. Are your windows dirty? If so, clean them up. Are your trash cans put away and out of sight? If not, find a place other than in front of your house to store them. Are all lightbulbs in good working order? If not, replace them with soft light. Take inspiration from the pictures in this article. It’s the little things that make a huge difference on your home’s exterior.

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Two-story home in wooded setting with dark siding

May is National Moving Month — so let’s get to work

According to Zillow, April, May, June, and July are prime months to put your house on the market. Be sure your home exterior is ready by making a great first impression. Trust me, home buyers are far more likely to enter your home and see your beautiful kitchen remodel if the exterior of your home shows care.  

If you are looking for a virtual exterior design to make changes or to market your home, brick&batten is happy to partner with you to create simple changes for a big impact! Let’s get that house sold!

Author

Cassie co-founded brick&batten in 2017 with her sister, Alli, but her love of home design was born years earlier. Cassie’s passion for design can be traced back to her childhood, when she’d accompany her parents on road trips through small towns in search of inspiration for properties they would buy, fix up, and sell. Prior to launching brick&batten, Cassie worked as a fourth grade teacher, but her love of design, architecture, home renovation, and open houses inspired her to pursue a new career. When writing for brick&batten, Cassie aims to empower homeowners to make the best informed decisions for their property. She knows from experience how challenging home renovation can be, and when she writes, she puts herself in the shoes of every homeowner with similar frustrations. Cassie currently lives in Florida with her four children, an old dog, and her loving husband. When she’s not working, Cassie is most likely checking out a nearby open house or traveling to learn about the latest house trends.