(BPT) – With the summer months finally here, now is the perfect time to spruce up your home — both indoors and out. It’s a well-known fact that homes with strong curb appeal not only tend to sell faster, but also have higher perceived home values — as much as 7%-14% more. While there are many large-scale renovations that can add curb appeal to your home, there are just as many simple refreshes you can make without spending a lot of time or money.
Here are five easy ways to boost your home’s curb appeal — and its value — in as little as a few hours:
1. Clean or repaint your front door
Since your front door is exposed to the elements, simply washing away some of the built-up dirt and grime can breathe new life into this focal point of your home. For an affordable, more eye-catching upgrade, consider painting your front door a bold, vibrant hue that coordinates with the rest of your home’s color palette to help draw buyers in. You can also add visual interest with a simple seasonal wreath.
2. Ensure your doors, windows and siding are sealed
With warmer months there often comes rainy and wet weather, so now is the perfect time to ensure your doors, windows, siding and other exterior surfaces won’t fall prey to water leakage during the next summer storm. Perfect for exterior touch-ups of any size, DAP’s AMP All Weather Window, Siding and Door Sealant delivers a 100% weatherproof and waterproof seal for windows, doors, siding, trim, gutter, flashing and concrete. It outperforms silicone in key performance attributes such as wet surface application, paintability and crystal-clear clarity, while also offering exceptional weatherability, durability and mold and mildew resistance, providing maximum performance for every project. It also has a 30-minute paint and rain/water ready time — making even the smallest touch-ups a breeze while giving you added peace of mind. Additionally, the sealant line includes a kitchen and bath-specific formulation perfect for all your interior touch-up needs as well.
3. Update outdoor hardware and lighting
House numbers, the entry door handle and porch light fixtures are all elements that add style and interest to your home’s curb appeal, whether you realize it or not. Replace old house numbers with a customized or DIY number display, or simply choose larger, more modern numbers for a few dollars each. Also consider updating your porch light fixtures for added appeal and safety. Be sure to consider your home’s style and the fixture’s configuration to ensure it illuminates your walkway or porch adequately, and for added time and money savings, choose fixtures that use the same mounting system as your current ones. Complete your entryway upgrade by choosing a new entry door handle or lockset that complements your house numbers and light fixtures for the most cohesive look. For all three, bronze finishes often look best with traditional homes, while brushed nickel suits more modern ones.
4. Repair any unsightly cracked concrete
Driveway, sidewalk, patio, and other outdoor concrete cracks are both common and inevitable given they are in high-traffic areas and are susceptible to the annual freeze/thaw cycle. Without proper attention and repairs, these cracks are not only unsightly, but can lead to more serious issues or worse, pose safety concerns. Thankfully, fixing them doesn’t have to be a costly headache with the help of Textured Concrete. This premium latex sealant simulates concrete with the durability needed to properly move and flex with heavy-trafficked concrete surfaces while providing a long-lasting, crack-resistant seal. Perfect for use on concrete, mortar, brick, metal, stone, stucco, grout and textured walls, it’s easy to use and apply, won’t stain or bleed, and can be cleaned up with just water if needed. While most latex sealants require a 24-hour dry time before painting, this one is ready to paint in just two hours so you can perfectly match any substrate and move onto your next project in record time.
5. Add color with flowers or plants
From adding flowers around your mailbox or planters on your porch, to installing window boxes for an added pop of color, this is an easy and affordable afternoon project that instantly makes your home look more welcoming, approachable and modern while adding to its perceived value. Be sure to choose varieties that will get enough sunlight based on where they’re planted and mix and match colors based on your home’s color scheme for the best results.
For more tips to help tackle your home improvement projects, visit DAP.com.