MAINTAINING A HOME

5 budget-friendly ideas to boost your home’s kerbside appeal

31 August 2020

First impressions count. From shiny apples to polished cars, we’re attracted to the things that catch our eye. Your home is no exception. The way your house looks from the outside is important, not only from a sales point-of-view, but also for the satisfaction its beauty can bring.

With a few simple improvements, you can make a big difference to the value of your home and your enjoyment of it. And the best part? They don’t cost as much as you might think.

Mailbox makeover

The great architect Frank Lloyd Wright designed some of the world’s most iconic homes and buildings, from the Fallingwater house to New York’s Guggenheim Museum. He designed every detail to harmonise with nature - including the buildings’ mailboxes.

While your home doesn’t have to scale the heights Lloyd Wright aimed for, upgrading your mailbox to something stylish, clean and bright is a straightforward way you can quickly add value to your property.

Give your garden a manicure

Just as a good haircut completes an outfit, a well-manicured garden enhances a home. Even doing something as simple as mowing an unkempt lawn, adding some outdoor seating or planting some bright flowers will make a dramatic difference to your home’s outward appearance.

One way to instantly add visual appeal is to use symmetry, for example, adding plants on either side of the front path or a pair of pots by the front door.

Freshen up your exterior

If the garden is the frame, then the exterior walls of your house are the painting – and if they look dirty, cracked or faded, then it’s not a pretty picture.

A fresh coat of paint or new cladding can work wonders for your home’s presentation. Opt for safe neutrals in grey and white to boost your resale value. Or if you want to stand out, add a pop of colour to the door and trims to create a modern feel.

For a low-cost, high impact option, use a pressure washer to remove built up dirt and grime – you’d be surprised at the dramatic improvement it can make.

Revitalise your driveway

Your driveway cops a lot of wear and tear: car tyres, kids’ bikes, delivery trucks and oil stains all leave their mark. Eventually this leaves your driveway looking unsightly, and since it’s always on display, it can reflect badly on your property.

While you can pay for a complete driveway resurface, a cheaper option is to get rid of any stains with a good pressure clean, before filling in any cracks and removing weeds.

Let there be light

Attract some attention to all the improvements you’ve made to your house with some strategically placed outdoor lights. To keep your power bills down, you can opt for solar-powered lights, or use timers to ensure your home sweet home is lit up at certain times of the night.

Home improvements start with the outside

Even if your home has a beautiful backyard and a spotless interior, if it looks shabby from the kerbside then it still deteriorates the overall appeal.

Just as people judge books by their cover, many also critique a home by its frontage, so if you’re thinking of selling make sure you invest some time and effort into sprucing up your home’s exterior. And if you’re staying put, a few home improvement touches will enable to you to enjoy coming home to a house that looks as beautiful on the outside as it does on the inside.

Stay covered, inside and out

Suncorp Home Insurance doesn’t just cover the house itself — it also includes permanent fixtures, like fences, porches and pathways. Make sure you have the right policy for you, and that your sum insured is enough to cover everything you might need to repair or replace after an incident, inside and out.

Learn about Suncorp Home Insurance

Insurance is issued by AAI Limited ABN 48 005 297 807 trading as Suncorp Insurance. Consider the Product Disclosure Statement before making a decision about this insurance. This advice has been prepared without taking into account your particular objectives, financial situations or needs, so you should consider whether it is appropriate for you before acting on it.

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