We all want to come home to a house we’re proud to live in. But sometimes, especially when the wintery greys of Vermont are all around us, curb appeal takes a back seat. Never fear, we found this Realty Times article by Andrea Davis with easy steps for year-round curb appeal.
Exceptional curb appeal will add to the enjoyment and value of your property and home. Maintaining your curb appeal throughout each season may pose its challenges, but with these tips, you can ensure that your home and landscaping will look their very best throughout the year.
#1 Clean It Up
A thorough power wash is essential for maintaining the cleanliness of your home, driveway and walkways. Many homeowners prefer to do this in the spring, but you might consider an additional wash in the fall as well. By keeping your landscape free of debris like broken branches and dead trees, you can better maintain the appearance of your property.
#2 Planting for Seasonal Interest
It's helpful to plant with each season in mind to ensure that your landscape looks great year-round. Spring bulbs and flowering trees add visual interest to your landscape at the start of the growing season. A lush lawn and pots of colorful annuals can provide eye-catching appeal in the summer. Think about late summer perennials and deciduous trees or shrubs that boast spectacular fall colors. Evergreens are classic winter plants, but you might also wish to plant trees like birch or interesting shrubs to draw the eye.
#3 Vertical Interest
To avoid flat looking landscaping, be sure to include vertical interest. Arches, even when bare during the winter season, will add visual interest to your front yard. Hanging plants, vines, climbing plants, trellises and even a decorative light post will ensure that your yard has a visual balance year-round.
#4 Hardscaping
Plants aren't the only method of achieving excellent curb appeal. Consider replacing a worn-out front walkway with elegant cobblestone or brick pavers. Replace mulch with stone or encircle trees and shrubs to achieve a more formal look for your property. Boulders can be strategically placed to draw the eye and provide further visual interest for your setting.
#5 Tackle Problem Areas
If you have a slope that's difficult to mow or a sunken section of landscaping that always seems to flood, consider a solution. A low-maintenance, terraced garden is ideal for sloping sections of land that are difficult to mow. On the other hand, there are no-mow grasses that can replace a traditional lawn. Installing adequate drainage for low-lying areas of your landscape can help reduce the flooding that occurs during stormy seasons.
#6 House Appeal
You can increase the year-round curb appeal of your home by maintaining its outward appearance. A pleasing door, elegant fixtures, contemporary railings, eye-catching shutters and stylized window boxes will go a long way to boost your curb appeal. For an additional wow factor, consider expanding your porch or replacing worn siding to improve the appearance of your home.
Conclusion
Great curb appeal begins with assessing your current setting. When you do install new features, it's important to consider how they will appear during each season.
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We all love (or at some point loved… hopefully) our homes, but how often have we shown it? It is the roof that keeps the snow out after all! So this month we urge you to give back. Why? Because no matter if you’re selling, just moved in, renting, or in your happily ever after home, if you show your house some love, it will surely return the favor.
Interested in buying a piece of real estate? Many real estate investors and first-time homeowners seem to focus on the style and functionality of their potential purchase, thinking that these aspects help to increase the property's value. They seem to have forgotten the popular adage, “location, location, location.”
It's not to say that the appearance of the home doesn't increase the value of the property, but it's impact is less that you may think. When you understand how location and future estimates of land value will influence property return you can then make better investment decisions.
Future prospects of development can change your property's value: You must be aware of both the present state of local amenities as well as the future prospects for governmental and commercial development in the area. Both of these factors will influence whether your land will appreciate or depreciate.
While many Vermont homebuyers will shop around for the best deals on furniture or home insurance, they often accept the first mortgage offer they receive. But a difference of just 0.25% in your interest rate could mean thousands of dollars over the life of your home loan.
In today’s market, most Vermont homebuyers still favor 30-year fixed loans, especially as interest rates remain relatively stable. However, if you expect to move within five years, an ARM may offer short-term savings.
After submitting your application information, lenders must provide a Loan Estimate within three business days. This document outlines interest rate, monthly payments, loan terms, and estimated closing costs. Review each quote carefully to determine which offers the most favorable overall cost.
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