{"id":4768,"date":"2018-07-20T10:44:52","date_gmt":"2018-07-20T17:44:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=4768"},"modified":"2026-04-15T02:21:28","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T09:21:28","slug":"how-to-add-curb-appeal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/how-to-add-curb-appeal\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Add Curb Appeal With Just One Weekend of Hard Work"},"content":{"rendered":"

Pesky weeds, cockeyed house numbers, scraggly hedges and trees\u2014these are all signs your curb appeal is in desperate need of some TLC<\/a>. Obvious neglect on the outside will scare away your best buyers before they even open the door.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why 94% of Realtors recommend amping up your home’s exterior<\/a> before your home hits the market.<\/p>\n

But when you\u2019re planning to sell, you don\u2019t want to spend more than a single weekend (seriously, we\u2019re talking 48 hours) to effectively whip your curb appeal into shape. Time is of the essence!<\/p>\n

Enter this game plan for how to add curb appeal\u2014crafted with the expertise of top real estate professionals who get insider feedback from real buyers every day. We\u2019ll cover the big jobs (and a lot of the little ones in between) to prevent missteps that would throw a wrench in your done-in-one-weekend plan.<\/p>\n

Aim For Attractive, Not Perfect, Curb Appeal<\/h2>\n

Angela Fox<\/a>, a Denver-based real estate agent who ranks in the top 1% out of 14,046 agents, explains:<\/p>\n

\u201cAny time I go over to meet with the seller, they have a Santa\u2019s scroll list of things that they think needs to be done to the house\u2014it\u2019s item after item. And I explain, \u2018You guys live in the house and notice every little thing, but we need to think big picture and look at it from the buyers\u2019 perspective.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

The big picture is this: buyers want to buy attractive properties, not perfect properties.<\/p>\n

Think of it this way: When you first bought your house, you spent time and money making the house\u2019s exterior look like the home of your dreams. Buyers want to do the same\u2014changing things to fit their wants and needs.<\/p>\n

Instead of spending cash and effort trying to achieve exterior perfection, you simply need to tidy things up so buyers can see its potential. And if your home\u2019s front yard is already in OK shape, that can be accomplished with one weekend\u2019s worth of hard work.<\/p>\n

The trick to figuring out how to improve your curb appeal in just one weekend is as simple as looking at the data. A landscaping survey<\/a> by home design site Houzz found that improvements to foliage make the biggest aesthetic impact to curb appeal.<\/p>\n

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Source: (Houzz Research<\/a> (Click to view larger))<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But trimming existing foliage and planting new flora isn\u2019t the only way to improve curb appeal quickly.<\/p>\n

Washing off the effects of weather from your roof, windows, and siding will also make the place sparkle. Add a few tasteful, strategically placed accessories and you\u2019ll have your home\u2019s front yard looking like the winner of a reality TV show.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s get to it.<\/p>\n

Day 1\u2014Morning: Trim Foliage, Pull Weeds, and Inspect the Landscape<\/h2>\n

Morning Supplies List:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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  • Tree trimmer<\/a> (Amazon, $55.60)<\/li>\n
  • Hedge trimmer<\/a> (Amazon, $29.99)<\/li>\n
  • Irrigation marker flags<\/a> (Home Depot, $2.37 for a 10-pack)<\/li>\n
  • Tape measure<\/a> (Lowes, $5.98)<\/li>\n
  • Weed control spray<\/a> (optional\u2014Home Depot, $14.97)<\/li>\n
  • Notepad and pencil (grab one from around your house!)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    It\u2019s backbreaking work to trim all your plants and pull weeds all at once, so you want to get it done first thing on the first day\u2014especially before the sun gets too hot.<\/p>\n

    Doing so will also prevent any falling debris from messing up a newly-mown lawn or freshly planted flower bed. This is also why you trim from the tallest to the smallest, so falling tree branches don\u2019t smash a just-manicured shrub.<\/p>\n

    Since you\u2019re likely no landscaping expert, don\u2019t expect an Edward Scissorhands-worthy<\/a> result. You just want to trim away any obviously dead branches and wild offshoots.<\/p>\n

    Since you\u2019re selling, now\u2019s a good time to think ahead to the home inspection<\/a> and trim plant growth away from the house by 10-12 inches<\/a> (with your handy tape measure) to meet standard requirements.<\/p>\n

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    Major curb appeal \ud83d\ude0d home number 5 is just as pretty inside! Head over to the @paradecraze account to check it out! – – – #northernwasatchparadeofhomes #utah #newconstruction #remodel #design #luxury #home #designer #homesweethome #hgtv #ksl #window #exteriordoors #exteriorpainting #exteriorinspo #osmonddesigns #heatherosmond #paradeofhomes #porch #contemporaryhome #exterior #interior123 #housetour #homerenovation #curbappeal #exteriordesign #topstylefiles #interiorsforinspo #houseenvy #housegoals<\/a><\/p>\n

    A post shared by Furniture & Interior Design<\/a> (@osmonddesigns) on