Round 2 - Curb Appeal!

I made it to round 2 in the SHGC competition!  Our task for this round is to work with Chris Steel in Sunset Valley to make over the exterior of his home with the goal of selling it.  He'd like to buy a larger home for his new life with his fiance.

The competition is fierce this round.  Some of the curb appeal make overs are absolutely stunning and I love them as a completed home, but I had to keep the end goal in mind and decorate it with a goal of selling the house.  That means maximize charm but minimize personality unless there's a very specific type of buyer you know you can attract with a specific style.  I've posted my goals and changes below so you can judge for yourself.

My goals:

One. The home, above all, needs to be attractive and catch the potential buyer's interest the second they see it. They might be viewing a lot of homes, so there must be a focal point for them to remember. The house must be distinctive.

Two. While being attractive and distinctive, the style of the home still needs to fit into its neighborhood. The average buyer is not looking to be the only ultra modern house in a traditional neighborhood. They want a house that is similar to the others but better than all the rest. I studied the neighborhood your house sits in and it is predominantly traditional with a smattering of international influence. You'll see how this has influenced my design decision.

Last but certainly not least, the house must still be enough of a blank slate for the potential buyer to be able to visualize their personality superimposed on it. This means a lack of ornaments or kitschy decorations that might clash with their personality. The house should be predominantly neutral in color so that it's easy to repaint. 

I've kept all of these goals in mind and, I feel, met each in a way that creates a unique facade that will be the delight of the neighborhood. I have taken the "so old, it's new" approach so that the house matches its traditional neighborhood yet attracts buyers of all ages. Since the house directly across the street brings in international influence, I have created a "Sunset Valley Tudor". 

Instead of using the traditional white, I've chosen a light beige color that matches the feel of the neighborhood and is easily repainted. The facial boards on the top level are purely decorative and can be removed easily in case the buyer doesn't like the style. The roof has been evened and opened to allow the lovely decorative boards to be seen. The front porch columns have been replaced with a charming rose-covered basic style and the front door has been replaced as a highly decorative focal point.

Of course, our main focal point will be the small English garden in the front yard. The charming walkways are both decorative, with their beautiful stone, and functional as they provide clean paths to the front door, driveway, sidewalk and even storage shed. I've reused all of your flowering plants and think that the azaleas make a beautiful semi-privacy hedge to hide the walkway. I've also added shrub roses which are a beautiful low maintenance plant that's easy to grow and has a long blooming period. Covered seating allows the garden to be enjoyed in shaded comfort. The buyer will appreciate that it can be easily relocated and the seating is made of a durable stain- and weather-proof material.

The driveway has been relocated slightly to the right so that the large living room windows aren't blocked by a car. This touch may seem simple at first, but it will make a large impact when potential buyers tour the home and experience that expanded view for themselves.

The mailbox has been relocated closer to the home. Again, it's a simple touch yet adds daily convenience for the buyer, and they will notice. The trash can, essential for any home, has been hidden within a storage shed in the backyard.

It was very important to me to hide this out of sight. This has both a short and a long term benefit. Potential buyers will be turned off if they see even a reminder of trash when viewing the home, and when they see the shed they will be relieved to find an outside storage area for their own lawn and garden implements. It's been decorated in a charming style to match the home.  

Other small changes I've made to spruce up the home are to replace the stairs and railings with a less rural style and match them to the home. The back door has been recolored to match the front. Also, the back door light fixture has been replaced and lights have been added to the front. The lovely brick foundation has been stained a darker color and the windows have also been painted to match the trim.

I've had some general tidying done that requires more time than money, such as cleaning all of the windows and removing the clover from the yard which, while I personally find it nostalgic, can been seen as a weed and future work by some. While we didn't touch the inside of the home other than what the doors and windows required, I would suggest putting curtains up, at least on the windows viewable from the road. This lets the buyer know that you care for your home and raises its value in their mind.

I truly hope that you've enjoyed this curb appeal makeover. I think potential buyers will be entranced by its charm and you'll find that it attracts both older buyers, who love the old world style, and younger buyers, who love the international flair. It's the same lovely style but from two different points of view.