Cost-Effective Curb Appeal: Landscaping to Raise the Resale Value of Your Home

by Lyn Lomasi, Write W.A.V.E. Media Staff

Looking to sell your home and maximize your profits? First, you need to raise the resale value, especially with cost-effective curb appeal. There are many ways to do so. Landscaping is said to have a 100 to 200 percent value of recovery at a sale. Other popular methods to raise resale value, such as kitchen and bath remodels, have smaller recovery rates. Some might argue that beautiful landscaping is costly, especially when going for curb appeal. Fortunately, there are  cost-effective ways to get that desired curb appeal.

Patching up the Lawn

Maintaining a nice lawn for curb appeal is often thought to be expensive, but there are ways  around that. For instance, when you've got dry patches, instead of spending a ton of time and money on products to re-grow that patch, consider purchasing a square of grass from your local  garden center or home improvement warehouse. This way, the grass already looks nice and all  you have to do at that point is insert it into your lawn and maintain it like the other areas. Grass  squares are generally inexpensive. A nice, green lawn is great curb appeal.

Blooming Flowers

Colorful flowers that go with the season add curb appeal by brightening up or drawing attention to the outside of a house. These flowers can be displayed in pots, a flower bed or a combination  of both. Annuals often are very cost-effective, averaging under a couple dollars for six or more. These can be found at local garden centers, home improvement warehouses and big name  retailers.

Window Boxes

Falling in line with the cost-effective flower idea, window boxes add great curb appeal. They are  fairly inexpensive to make or buy, and planting colorful annuals inside them can be beautiful.  This makes for a very simple and cost-effective curb appeal project.

Potted Plants

Potted plants are a great way to add cost-effective curb appeal to your landscaping or walkway.  When dispersed around the landscaping and other areas, potted plants can make the outside  of a home very appealing and inviting. Plain clay pots are generally the most cost-effective. To  spruce them up, they can be painted with inexpensive outdoor spray paint or ceramic paint. Designs or plain colors can both work well, depending on your desired look.

Pedestals

A few strategically placed pedestals can also add cost-effective curb appeal to the landscaping of your home. These can be placed in the lawn, along the walkway or even at the front door. To  add even more curb appeal, place a potted plant atop each pedestal.