This original article was first published here: 4 Simple and Effective Ways to Upgrade Your New Home and Create More Value
Your home says a lot about you. In fact, just upon driving by your home one might get the impression of the type of person you are and how you live your life. As such, an unkempt home exterior might give the impression that you’re lazy or irresponsible–two qualities that you’d probably rather not be associated with.
Thankfully, there are a variety of ways to beautify your home’s exterior. And the best part is that by doing a few simple upgrades, you’ll not only be able to create a better impression, you’ll also be adding value to your home as well.
As a new homeowner, you might be thinking about a few upgrade projects already. But it’s always best to begin with the basics. And this often includes starting with the exterior of your home.
If you’re looking to create a bit more curb appeal and add value in the process, the following will offer a few helpful upgrade tips to consider.
Building a Deck
If you’re the social type, or the kind of person who simply loves to spend time outdoors, building a deck not only adds value and character to your home, it offers you a space to entertain and enjoy your backyard space.
Depending on your property and the layout of your home, you’ll have a few options to consider when it comes to building a deck. And a few of these options are as follows:
- Natural wood
- Composite
- Vinyl
- Plastic
- Aluminum
- Modified wood
- Masonite
- Hardwoods
- Exotic Wood
You should note that depending on where you live, the type of material you choose should suit. For example, if you live in an area with frequent rain and high humidity such as in the Deep South, you’ll likely need to choose a material that holds up well to these conditions such as composite or vinyl.
Additionally, unless you’re pretty good with framing, drafting and schematics, your best strategy will be to contact your local deck builders. This way, you can rest assured that your deck will be built properly and be structurally sound.
Brick
If you remember the children’s tale of The Three Little Pigs, you may remember it was the house of bricks that kept the big bad wolf at bay. And though we don’t exactly have wolves trying to huff and puff and blow our houses down today, the lesson remains the same–the stronger the material, the stronger the home.
Even if your home is fully built, you can still add brick as a stylish element to the exterior of your home. And believe it or not, adding brick also significantly increases your home’s value.
Brick also offers an element of design to the home’s exterior. For example, you can add brick between windows, or create a border around windows. Additionally, adding brick also allows your home to be more energy-efficient as it facilitates a better quality of insulation.
Landscaping
Perhaps one of the best ways to create that coveted curb appeal that all homeowners are after is to step up your landscaping game. And even with some simple strategies, you can have your yard looking like it should be on a magazine cover in very little time.
A few simple landscaping methods to consider are as follows:
- Adding grass
- Seeding and fertilizing bare patches
- Building planters
- Floral gardens
- Pathways
- Pavers
- Planting trees
- Adding hedges
With landscaping, you can allow yourself to be creative. But you should try your best to utilize your space and tie the property in with the home itself. This will allow for a much more cohesive feel to be imparted to your landscape design.
Structures
If you like enjoying your outdoor space on a deck, there are many other structures you can consider building to facilitate outdoor enjoyment as well.
For example, a gazebo can offer a private area for you and a loved one to sit together. Or you may prefer to add a pergola over part of your backyard for a bit of shade and ambience.
Additionally, a stone grotto with stone benches can also be considered if you like to add a bit of intrigue to your space. And these can also be aesthetically pleasing when built alongside a coy pond or fountains.
Upgrading your home should always be a priority, even if you’re a new homeowner. And this is because you want to add value and build your equity just in case you choose to sell your home in the future.