Increase Your Home Value through Curb Appeal
First impressions are important. This tried-and-true American ideal is true in professional and personal contexts. And the hit HGTV series Curb Appeal has solidified the importance of a first impression on real estate. The perceptions that someone will have about your house are first developed based on what your home looks like from someone standing on the street. And no single feature of your home has a greater impact on the curb appeal of your home than a new garage door. The garage door is one of the single largest features of your home and an upgrade to your garage door can directly increase the value of your home.
The value of your property is determined by many factors: location, square footage, features, and appeal. Some of those factors are fixed. You are unlikely to move the location or neighborhood of you home. And major renovations, such as remodeling or an addition, can be expensive ways to increase the value of your home. One of the most important, and sometimes subtle, contributors to the value of your home is the curb appeal. Realty expert Kathy Price-Robinson argues that the outside of your home directly impacts how the inside of your home is perceived. In fact, many potential homebuyers will not even walk into a house if they do not find the home appealing from the curb. In an interview with ABC News, Dave Seymour, property improvement expert and star of A&E’s hit Flipping Boston, argues that a functioning and appealing new garage door can yield a 400%-1000% return of investment. A new garage door is a solid way to increase the value of your home.
If you wish to improve the value of your home, you should strongly consider a new garage door. A recent survey of 300 realtors found that a new garage door can increase the value of your home by up to 4%. This is a simple way to make big dollars and can be done in just 3 hours. This is one of the few improvements on a home that sees a complete return in investment. According to Remodeling Magazine’s annual report on national trends, a strong return of investment of a home improvement is just above 60%. Installing a new garage door has a much higher return of investment and is one of the top ways to increase the value of your home. For anyone worried about the resale value of a home, it is not a matter of if to install a new garage door, but a matter of when or which garage door to select.
When selecting a new garage door, there are multiple things to consider. Home improvement expert Bob Vila argues that when selecting the correct door, you want to start with what you already have: your home. The garage door, color and style, should be selected to match the style of your home. You can use architectural details such as windows or material to seamlessly match a garage door to your home. When selecting a color, you can opt to have the garage door blend in with the palate of your home by selecting more neutral colors such as tan or white, or you can have your garage door add a pop of color to your home by selecting an accent color, such as hunter green. As long as you pick a new garage door that is appropriate for you home, you are sure to increase the value of your home (and make your neighbors envious of your newly gained curb appeal).
Given the significance of curb appeal when assessing the value of one’s home, you should not stop with the new garage door. A well-manicured lawn, including grasses, shrubs, and flowers, can also give the perception that you care a lot about your home. This perception will impact how the inside of your home is perceived. Having defined walkways and proper lighting will also increase the value of your home by highlighting the positive features of the home and instilling a sense of security to all potential buyers. These curb appealing tips, along with a new garage door, can contribute to an increase in your home’s value.
There are very few guaranteed ways to improve the value of your home. Most of them center on improving the curb appeal of your home. Not only does an attractive home from the street attract more buyers, it also improves perceptions of the inside of the home. A new garage door is an easy and efficient way to increase the value of your home.
To view new garage doors, visit Overhead Door Company of Cedar Rapids and Iowa City product line.