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3 Ways to Decorate Your Front Porch This Fall

09/30/2020 in curb appeal

 

It’s hard to believe that summer is over, and fall is here on the North Carolina Coast. Now is the time to think about decorating your home with fall decorations, and the first thing your guests will see is your front porch. We at Remax at the Beach want to share three ways that you can decorate your front porch for the fall. Let’s look below at how you and your family can get your front porch ready for fall to invite guests over to enjoy the decorations at your home.

 

Add Flair to Your Front Door

 

One way that you can decorate your front porch this fall is by adding a wreath to the front door. The front door is one of the first things that your guests will see when they first visit your home on the coast. Adding a little flair to your front door can be one of the best things you can do to decorate your home for fall. Add a wreath with fall leaves and small pumpkins on it to your door or add a welcome sign that is a fall sign to the door instead. Add some fall garland around the door and have fun with the decorations. We promise that it will look amazing any way you decorate your door.

 

Add a Pop of Color

 

Adding a pop of color to your front porch is just what you’re looking for. Add some fall color pillows to your rocking chairs or bench to make it more inviting. You can add some apple crates that are bright reds along with some pumpkins on top of them. Add some pumpkins in various colors to the steps of your front porch or around the patio. Add some garland or hay bales around with some beautiful mums on top. No matter what you choose to do, there are always bright colors that the fall leaves will bring, and you’ll love it.

 

Make it Kid-Friendly

 

One thing that will allow your front porch decorations to stay around all season long is to make sure it’s kid friendly. If you have kids, then you know having decorations that will withstand them is very important. Be sure to add fun signs, pumpkins (big and small), corn husks with corn, and more. Add a little bowl with some candy inside it since they most likely are looking for candy. It’s the fall after all and having a little fun to your front porch is just the ticket when it comes to kids. If your kids want to help decorate it, they let them. This is their house too, and they most likely will want to add their decorating ideas also.

 

While there are many other fun things that you can do to get your front porch ready for the fall, we wanted to share these. If you haven’t found you're forever home here on the coast of North Carolina, Remax at the Beach is here to help. We hope to see all the decorations this fall at your home!  

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Boost Your Curb Appeal Before You Put Your Home on the Market

02/15/2019 in curb appeal

Are you thinking of putting your home on the market soon? It shouldn't come as a surprise that before you list your home that you will need to make it sparkle and shine. Prospective buyers will be coming through your home glancing in every nook and cranny to see the space your home has to offer them. But while many homeowners focus on the inside, you will want to freshen up the outside of your home too. The right curb appeal when you place your home on the market can help bring in more prospective buyers. Remax at the Beach has come up with a few inexpensive things you can do to help boost the curb appeal of your home. 

Make the Outside Shine

Whenever you have a home for sale on the market, you want to make sure that it has been cleaned. For many potential home buyers, they want to see your home sparkle and shine and making sure that your driveway is clean is a start. Over the years your driveway can become dirty from dirt, grass clippings and more. While repaving may seem like a good option for a few people, it's not necessary for most. Having someone come out and clean your driveway can sometimes be a little costly, but these days you can purchase a pressure washer for less than $200. You can use the pressure washer to clean the siding on your home and even the front porch. This can be a good investment for not only your current home but for your future home. 

Tidy up the Yard

While many potential homebuyers don't care about what the yard looks like, to many it does. If you haven't cleaned up the front flower beds or don't have any in front of your home, it's a must do. It can get pretty expensive to redo the landscaping, but we suggest only do a few things that will help with the curb appeal. We suggest that you do the work yourselves or ask a few friends to help. Put down some fresh mulch and add a few easy-to-care-for plants. If you aren't too sure which plants would work best for the southern climate, we can suggest a few for you. Crape Myrtles, Hydrangea, Canna and Peony are beautiful plants and work well in the south. 

Decorate the Front Porch

Another way that you can add to the curb appeal is by adding a few easy things to your front porch. Many potential homeowners are looking for a front porch that they can relax on year-round so having an inviting one will help. If your front porch is a little smaller than most, have no worries because you can add a few things to help make it seem larger. Add a few small planters by the front door or on the steps can help as well as adding a little pop of color. Change out a few of the light fixtures to help brighten up the porch, especially at night just in case they drive by your home at night. Add a few extra things such as a small bench or a few rocking chairs will help make the porch more welcoming and inviting. Add a new welcome mat and an elegant wreath to the front door for a warm welcome to all new potential buyers. 

Sleek Look for the Door

This happens to be a step that many homeowners may overlook when they freshen up their curb appeal, the front door. Adding a fresh coat of paint to yours is not only a cheap and easy trick, but it can transform the way your home looks. Buyers will often times wait outside of the home for a few minutes while their agent is getting the keys out of the lockbox, so they have time to look at the front door. We suggest putting on a coat of paint that will help warm up the home and entry way but will also add to the curb appeal of your home. You can never go wrong with a classic color such as red, black, gray or even a coastal color such as light green or light blue. If you’d like to add some new hardware onto your door that too can change the curb appeal as well. 

Spruce Up your Mailbox

One thing that you may not think could be important to your curb appeal is your mailbox, but we have to say it is. For many selling a home, a new mailbox or sprucing it up can be at the bottom of the to-do list. You don’t have to spend much money on getting a new one, but you could do a few things to help it out. Painting the mailbox and sealing the post could help with the weathering. Another thing you can do is add some plants around it to help bring in some extra color to that area.

While there are many other ways that you can help freshen up the curb appeal to your home, these are just a few that we thought you’d like. Seeing the results after you have completed the above can help you be able to add more curb appeal to your beautiful home for the new homeowners. If you are still searching for a new home in the Ocean Isle Beach area, please contact us today! We hope that you and your family will be able to sell your home and find a new home in the area.

 

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Curb Appeal: When Landscape Matters Most

05/09/2018 in curb appeal

When it comes to selling a home the list of things you should know about can seem woefully long but at ReMax at the Beach we know what matters most. Your landscape appeal is one of the most important selling points of your home. Consider that it could very well be the difference between someone requesting a showing to see more vs. them just driving by without stopping.

First impressions really do matter. Once a buyer is turned off by a property due to negative first impressions, it’s nearly impossible to get them back again. As a homeowner with a property for sale on the market you just can't afford to have that happen.

It’s important to have your landscape appeal to all home buyers looking for a home in your area and price range. While water features like pools and spas may increase the sale price, they will also restrict your buyer market to only those seeking such features. Others may see those features as unnecessary expense and upkeep.

The same can be said for extensive gardens on the property. To another gardener or someone with the financial means to hire a gardener, they'll most likely love them. But the rest of the world may see them as a whole lot of work that they’re just not prepared to take on even if they did know how, which many don't.

We recommend having a local landscape company to come in and update your landscaping and keep it manicured while it’s on the market. You’ll have plenty of other things keeping you busy like packing and looking for your next home!

A professional landscape company will edge your gardens, prune back overgrown shrubs and hedges, and open up the space between foundation plantings and your home’s exterior to allow for better air circulation. Large trees planted too close to the house or that have outgrown their space should be cut back or removed entirely. Most landscape companies can do that as well.

Professional landscapers can advise you on the best plan going forward that will put your home in a better position to be sold swiftly and to the right buyer.

 

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Tips For Cleaning Up Your Property Before the Holidays

11/09/2017 in curb appeal

For those with a home on the market for sale, it's more important than ever to maintain your property over the holidays. Be sure to set aside some time for the end-of-season cleanup and you may find it's just what you need for the house to sell. Curb appeal matters all year long in any season. For the best chance at a sale and to tempt those drive-by shoppers into stopping for a closer look, be sure to keep your property looking well cared for. 

Here are some tips for cleaning up your property before the holidays arrive:

• Using a rake and trash bags, clean out the leaves and other debris from all window wells and flowerbeds, including under all shrubs. Bag them and take them off-site.
• If trees have dropped leaves, pine needles and branches onto your lawn, be sure to rake them up. Left to lay there all winter they will kill the grass beneath them and your property will look unkept.
• With a stepladder, being very careful, clean out the gutters and downspouts, making sure both are fastened securely.
• Drain the water shut-off valves and water lines leading to the outside. Turn off water supply to outdoor faucets for the season.
• Inspect the weather stripping and caulk around all windows and replace if necessary.
• Clean out the drain holes at the bottom of storm window frames and wipe them down well.
• Check the condition of attic insulation and look for signs of varmints. Clear any air vents while you’re up there.

Once your cleanup is done take the time to think about how you want to decorate your home for the winter season and specifically the holidays. Whether it’s as simple as a wreath on the door and a potted plant on the steps, or you go all out with outdoor lights galore, the important thing to remember is to keep it tasteful. This is a good example of when less is more.

Wishing you and your family a happy holiday season from all of us at Re/Max at the Beach!

 

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Welcome Home: 3 Front Door Options

01/03/2017 in curb appeal

If you're looking for a great way to improve the curb appeal of your home and create a warm, welcoming first impression for visitors, consider installing a brand new entry door. While entry doors should be attractive, they must also be resilient, weather tight and able to withstand exposure to the elements throughout the year. At Re/Max at the Beach we think an entry door says a whole lot about the people that live inside. Keep that in mind when shopping for a new entry door.

If you’re interested in replacing your entryway door, you’ll have to decide which type of door to purchase. Entry doors are available at home improvement centers in three different types: wood, steel and fiberglass.

All three types come in a wide range of sizes, styles and prices, so it won’t be difficult finding a door to fit your budget and existing doorway.

The more difficult decision is choosing which door type best suits your home’s style, your own personal taste and your lifestyle. To help make that decision easier, below you’ll find detailed descriptions of each door type including the benefits, drawbacks and important features worth considering.

 

Wood Doors

Doors made of wood are commonly available in a variety softwood and hardwood species, including fir, pine, hemlock, mahogany, oak, cherry and walnut. Most wood doors feature frame-and-panel construction, and can be ordered with or without “lites” or windows.

Solid wood doors are constructed entirely out of solid pieces of wood. Veneered doors have a solid wood frame that’s covered with a wood veneer. Solid wood doors are often heavier and more expensive than a wood veneer door, but they’re also stronger and more durable.

Homeowners love wood doors because it’s hard to beat the natural beauty and warmth of real wood. Plus, they can be painted, stained or finished with a clear topcoat. However, wood requires a certain amount of maintenance to keep a fresh, like-new appearance.

When exposed to the elements, wood can swell, shrink, crack and warp. Paint and clear topcoats will eventually blister and peel. Doors made of wood are best suited for recessed doorway openings, where the door is protected from the weather by a large overhang or deep alcove.

If you’re planning on painting your new wood door, order the door with a factory-primed finish. That will save you from having to prime the door before painting.

 

Steel Doors

Steel doors are popular with both homebuilders and homeowners because they are extremely strong and secure. They’re durable and weather-tight, especially when fitted with magnetic weather stripping. Steel doors are also the most affordable type of entry door.

Steel doors come primed ready for paint, but many places now offer pre-finished steel doors in a wide choice of factory-applied paint colors. While most steel doors have a smooth surface, some models feature an embossed wood-grain finish.

The main drawbacks to steel doors are that they dent and rust. You can fill dents with auto-body putty, but rust must be completely removed to prevent the corrosion from spreading.

 

Fiberglass-Composite Doors

There’s no such thing as a maintenance-free door, but a fiberglass door comes pretty close. Fiberglass is tough and resilient, and particularly well suited for harsh, humid climates. It’s also highly resistant to warping, splitting and cracking. Fiberglass doors won’t dent, rot or rust.

Many fiberglass doors have a realistic wood grain finish that can be stained to resemble a wood door. If you like the rich look of a solid mahogany door but not the price tag, buy a fiberglass door and apply a mahogany stain.

The main drawback to fiberglass doors is that they’re relatively expensive. Only high end solid hardwood doors cost more.

 

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