Give Your Home Fall Curb Appeal With These 5 Easy Tips

Now that fall is underway, many homeowners are looking to spice up the exterior of their homes. In case you haven’t heard, it’s called “curb appeal”, and it means the attraction of your home from the street.

With curb appeal you can make your house more inviting and more appealing to guests – or even potential buyers. Whether you are selling your home or just want to make people feel welcome when they come up the walkway, use these simple tips to make the most of this season’s special beauty.

1. When it comes to your yard and front walk, leaving a small amount of fall foliage scattered about can add a very romantic and homey feel. This does not mean that you should neglect to rake your yard! Raking should be done regularly to keep leaves from blocking sunlight to your grass. Large piles of leaves will eventually kill off your grass if they are not removed, and will leave your yard blotched with yellow patches.
2. If your yard contains summer flowerbeds, these need to be updated. When fall comes around most summer flowers have become dull or dead. You should replace these flowers with bright new ones that thrive in fall. A few examples of some nice fall flowers would be red salvia, chrysanthemums, and black-eyed susans. Using three to four vibrant colors in your flowerbeds will draw more attention to your home. Also, if you have any bare patches of dirt in the beds, fill these with wood chips to make your flowerbeds more appealing.
3. Once your garden is looking great, pay attention to the house itself. When trees start losing their leaves the exterior of your home becomes more noticeable. This is the time to power-wash your siding and touch up any chipped paint. Your next task should be to clean your windows.  Though it may seem monotonous to clean all those windows, it is very noticeable when you don’t wash them – from the inside as well as the outside. Also, don’t forget about your gutters – they’re vital for redirecting rainwater away from your house, but they have an unfortunate tendency of catching leaves and other fall debris as well. If these get clogged, water overflow can cause damage.
4. Fall is the time of pumpkins, scarecrows harvest corn and straw. Many people tend to decorate their front walks and porches with these items, which great. But don’t overdo it though – too many decorations can be overwhelming (and it’s not time for the winter lightshow just yet!). Two to three small decorations will show your love of the fall season without drawing focus away. If your kids want to decorate for halloween, no problem, but wait until mid October to add those touches.
5. Last, but most importantly, your front door needs attention. Your front door is the final focus point before a visitor enters your home. Make sure the door is clean and well maintained, and for the fall season a simple wreath will add a welcoming decorative touch.

With these tips you’ll be able to bring out the curb appeal of your home and enchant your guests. Do you have any special creative touches for fall decorating you’d like to share? We’d love to hear your ideas!