Hello October!
We are officially in the heart of Fall which provides a great opportunity for sellers to not only spruce up the outside of their homes, but to have fun with some autumn-themed décor and landscaping. Here are some great places to start with your curb appeal.
- Tidy up the outside
If your home is looking a little drab, or areas of the exterior are faded or a bit chipped, it can never hurt to apply a fresh coat of paint. If painting isn’t within your curb appeal budget, don’t worry! Never underestimate the power of a good pressure wash. It’s a great and highly effective way to remove months or years of build up and grime. Both options can drastically help brighten the appearance of your home and create a welcoming look to potential buyers.
- Keep up with yard work
This time of year means that you will be doing yard work more consistently. We all love watching the trees change from green to vibrant shades of red, orange and yellow, but falling leaves can also kill grass and make a yard look unkempt. We recommend taking time to blow leaves or rake as often as possible. We know… this is a task that’s easier said than done, but it’s worth it to help keep your house and garden looking great! Not to mention that the leaf piles won’t be absolutely enormous the more often you rake.
Pro tips: In case you didn’t know, September and October are the months that professionals recommend you aerate and seed your yard. This time of year allows for fresh seeds to take root that then gives you stronger grass come spring!
We also recommend that you don’t remove all leaves from flowerbeds. The leaves act as an insulator to the ground, trees, and other shrubs and when they decompose, they return organic matter and nutrients to the soil. They also provide a home to various essential insect species during the winter season.
- Gutters
Your yard is not the only place where leaves land. Gutters can quickly build up with foliage and other natural debris. It’s important to keep up with gutter maintenance as often as possible to keep water away from your home. This is also a good indicator to potential buyers that you not only take pride in your house, but chances are it is in good shape from any potential water damage.
- Windows
While windows tend to be more of an indoor focus, having them cleaned inside and out can make a huge difference in appearance. We recommend having them professionally washed, but if this were something you’d rather skip, we would say to wipe the inside glass with a good cleaner and make sure the outside is free of cobwebs and other debris.
- Creating a focal point
If it’s been a minute since your front door has been shown some love, there’s no better time to create a beautiful focal point. If it’s within your budget, consider applying a fresh coat of paint (if you’re adventurous, maybe in a nice shade of red or a vibrant orange!) and adding a simple wreath to the front door. You can never go wrong with some beautiful greenery, but if you’d like to keep in theme, try a wreath that consists of some gorgeous fall flowers or foliage.
- Outdoor lighting
Now that the sun is going down much earlier, it’s really important to have outdoor lighting as a part of your curb appeal. Not only does the right lighting create an inviting atmosphere, but it also shows that potential buyers can feel safe. Make sure driveways or other walkways have good visibility and that your front and/or side doors are bright and welcoming.
Pro tip: Make sure all your lighting matches! Varying brightness and/or shades just look bad – plain and simple. We always recommend using the “warm” type of LED light bulbs over the “cool” – both inside and out. The “warm” shade creates a cozy look and feel, while the “cool” casts a harsher, bluish-white glow.
- Fall-themed flora
With summer behind us, chances are many of your summer plants and vegetation have now faded. To brighten up your flowerbeds, consider using some gorgeous, brightly colored mums, or other fun flowers that are able to handle chillier temperatures. To add to the fall theme, think about getting a pumpkin or some fun colored gourds for your front porch. If you really want to go all out, you could even find some dried cornstalks from your local nursery to tie up… but this one is really for those strong, fall enthusiasts. 🙂
- Keep it to a minimum
While we do love some gorgeous pops of color and fall décor, we also want to make sure our sellers stay more on the minimalist side of decorating. If you’re putting your home on the open market this fall, you don’t want to go overboard and district potential buyers. As we said in the last point, a pumpkin or two for the front porch is a great accessory, but an abundance of Halloween decorations might be too much. It’s all about finding the balance between keeping the outside fresh and inviting and not going too crazy. Save all the “spooky season” decorations for your next home!
