Building homes that turn heads is an excellent way to market your building prowess. Designing your homes to have great curb appeal is one way to grab a prospect’s attention. Here are a few curb appeal trends to consider as you build your homes.
Let there be window light
Bringing in natural light is especially important to homeowners. Designing homes with large but appropriate windows is a great way to create curb appeal. The most noticeable trend in exterior windows is “Bigger and wider are better.”
Another way to create curb appeal for clients of all ages is by making windows easy to open. Buyers like seamless transitions between indoor and outdoor spaces. Sliders and pass-through designs can help appeal to this newly emergent trend.
Side-facing garages and doors with noticeable accoutrements
Well-positioned garages with attractive doors are another hot trend in curb appeal. In fact, side-facing garages are becoming more popular. Some homeowners prefer side-facing garages so as not to detract from the overall look of the house. Additionally, side-facing garages can make the house look longer and larger.
If a side-facing garage isn’t possible, then it’s important for the garage door to be a show stealer. Garage doors with windows, panels, and/or contrasting colors relative to the house can be great attention getters.
Darker exteriors
While lighter earth tones are popular for interiors, dark exteriors are growing in popularity. Using dark blues, reds, and even black can do double duty for attention-getting curb appeal. First, these bolder colors have power on their own. Second, they often contrast against lighter neighboring houses, providing an extra pop.
Whether you choose to use dark brick or dark paint, darker colors can be a difference maker. Make sure that you consider the effects natural light has when choosing a dark exterior. Natural light can make dark colors look lighter.
Good landscaping
One of the biggest challenges for owners of new homes is landscaping. Building a home or neighborhood takes a big toll on the surrounding soil. While you don’t necessarily need to commit to country club–style landscaping, you should take a few steps to give the landscaping a good shot of surviving.
The first step is likely one you already do—allowing water to flow away from the house. Doing so does more than just protect the home’s foundation. It can also prevent water from standing or pooling in grass or garden areas. That makes it easier for your buyers to tend their landscaping properly.
Second, if possible, try to replace the soils you displace with native top soils. This can be challenging, especially if you need to make changes to grades. However, re-establishing native top soils can give buyers a good chance of keeping their landscaping looking fresh, which can do wonders for curb appeal.
Finally, consider working with local landscapers beyond simply laying down new sod. Local gardeners can suggest proper plants native to the area that are more likely to survive. Providing your homes with native plants that pop can add curb appeal that differentiates your homes as unique, rather than cookie cutter.
Few things are more appealing than structural warranty protection
As you design homes with great curb appeal, remember how appealing a structural warranty administered by 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty (2-10 HBW) can be. In fact, four in five buyers say that they value a third-party, insurance-backed structural warranty.
Learn how you can protect your business and add valuable selling points to your new builds with a 2-10 HBW Structural Warranty.
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