How to increase your home’s street appeal on a budget

Home buyers are looking for a place they can fall in love with. They want to rock up at the inspection and be wowed. And, let’s be honest, they want their friends to admire it, too.

Go outside. Right now. All the way into the street. Now, be honest – is your house living its best life?

Before you go on the market, follow our five tips to increase the street appeal of your home.

1. Freshen up the paint job.

Renovating to sell is a daunting proposition, but paint can be transformative. Plus, it’s a great excuse to get those tiny samples from your local hardware store. They’re so small. Like paint for mouse houses.

Start by thoroughly cleaning surfaces and fixing obvious defects like rotting window panes. Hire a pressure-cleaner to really shift the grime from windows and gutters. Then it’s time for a burst of colour – look around your area for inspiration that’s in keeping with the general theme.

2. Give your garden some love.

A lush lawn and potted colour can change the whole vibe. Get the mower out, then give your grass a good dose of fertiliser. Bulk mulch is available from garden centres, or you could approach a local tree company for their excess. Weed and mulch garden beds, replace any struggling or dead plants, and prune back overgrown trees and bushes. Fix broken fence palings and neaten up outdoor pathways with fresh gravel.

It doesn’t have to be temporary. Planting drought-friendly natives can keep the garden flourishing long after you’ve moved on.

3. Make your front door a knock-out.

Give your façade an instant facelift by rocking a surprising doorway. Try painting your existing door a bright colour, or, budget-permitting, replacing it altogether. Pick up a vintage option from recycle centres or choose a contemporary style for a modern home.

Then, make the whole entryway work harder. Arrange planter pots symmetrically on either side, and fill them with blooms in hues that complement the facade. Cat-faced pansies and sweet violas are timeless classics that suit almost every style. Pop down a fresh welcome mat or consider adding window boxes to give your home an extra burst of colour and charm.

4. Hide your mess.

That’s the working parts of your house. Everyone knows they’ll have bins and maintenance tools, but for now, let them think yours is the self-cleaning kind. Hide them away.

The same goes for any stray weeds, junk mail, dog kennels, overflowing gutters and roses that need pruning. Make your buyers imagine those chores don’t exist here. Keep the first impression tidy and miraculous.

5. Spice up your letterbox.

If you’ve ever seen a box that’s a mini version of the house it’s attached to, you know what a delight getting the mail can be. Letterboxes are not just functional – they can also add to (or subtract from) your home’s street appeal.

Make your letterbox a statement piece that complements the character of your home. Take the curb appeal up a notch by planting a flower garden around the base, or go bold with a modern statement piece. If you don’t have space for a letterbox, choose street numbers that reflect the style of the house and make you feel super fancy.

6. Dress your driveway.

Driveways can become cracked and stained over time, attracting weeds and ant colonies and making the overall appearance of your home a bit tired. A high-pressure hose is your friend here, too. Give the surface a really good clean, spray or remove the weeds and tidy up around the edges.

A border decoration of flower beds or a perfumed bloomer like Murraya can ramp up the charm. Give concrete driveways a lasting pick-me-up with colour stencilling or a full paint job. You could even crack open the driveway chalk for family appeal.

The big pay-off.

Giving your home curb appeal doesn’t just make it more inviting. Front-of-house renovations can actually add value to your property. Even if you’re not planning to sell just yet, there are medium-term options you can get started on now.

Buyers want to know you’ve loved your house, and be inspired to keep it looking beautiful when they move in. Throwing around some colour, fragrance and style can take your street frontage into serious envy territory – with the list price to match.