Everything from an overgrown lawn and tangled water hoses to chipped paint and worn shingles, the exteriors of a home play a major role in setting the tone for what a home’s interiors may look like.

True enough, if a home isn’t aesthetically pleasing on the outside, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the interiors are unsatisfactory but it can only make one think that if the homeowner isn’t taking care of the home on the outside, they’re surely neglecting the inside of the home… And that’s the last thing you want someone to think, especially if you’re planning on selling your home.

Just as the traditional Golden Rule is to treat others how you want to be treated, well, that same standard holds true in real estate as well… Treat your home’s exteriors as you would treat its interiors; You especially want to do this when trying to sell your home.

Just think about it. There’s an “order of operations,” so to speak when it comes to selling your home. When putting your home on the market to sell, potential home buyers are, of course, going to want to see your home’s interiors, right? Right. But in order to get interested home buyers in your home, you’re going to have to attract them from your home’s exteriors… or from the curb (thus, you have “curb appeal”).

Many people don’t realize this but home buyers, especially first-time home buyers, experience several different emotions when looking for homes to buy. In fact, some get so emotionally involved that a single exterior eyesore can severely impact a home buyer’s decision on if they like your home, which then puts a bad taste in their mouth about your home and they ultimately decide to not buy.

In the same token, your home is something you should take pride in regardless of if you’re looking to sell or not. As much as you take care of your home interiors, you should do the same for the exterior of your home… All it takes is a little effort, and sometimes a little elbow grease. To enhance the overall appearance of your home’s exteriors, avoid these eyesores at all costs.

Eyesores of Your Home’s Exteriors to Avoid

Unkempt Yard

One of the very first things people notice about someone’s home is their yard. One of the strangest parts about your yard is that it says so much without saying a word. The appearance of your yard will tell you how healthy it is, if it’s being cut and maintained, and if it’s hydrated. So it’s pretty safe to say that the appearance of your yard is a direct reflection of your care towards it.

Things like debris, dry spots, holes, and discoloration are major eyesores that not only reflect badly on your home’s overall appearance but it also makes the entire neighborhood look negligent of yard care as well.

Whether you hire a professional lawn care company or hire your neighbor’s teenager to help you maintain it, there are many different ways to clean up your yard that is neither physically taxing or expensive. Don’t let an unkempt lawn be the eyesore of your home’s exteriors.

Sewer Access Caps and Electrical Boxes

Electrical boxes play a major role in the overall functioning of your home, but in most cases, they’re placed in areas of your home’s exteriors that create an eyesore. The same thing applies to sewer access caps but they’re typically found protruding through certain areas of your yard, whereas electrical boxes are typically found on the side of your home… Nonetheless, both still create massive property eyesores.

Fortunately, there are some simple solutions to camouflage those dreadful eyesores. For your electrical box, simply paint it the same color as your home or use a screen cover to hide it. For your sewer access caps, purchase a slipcover for it and plant a small garden around it to center the focus on the garden.

Worn Siding

Depending on the type of materials your home’s exteriors are made from, it could be time to give your home a complete facelift. Sometimes, a simple powerwash session will get the job done to refresh the look of your home but sometimes, the damage is beyond a quick wash… Sometimes the only solution is to replace your home’s siding.

This can get on the expensive side of things but you also have to look at it as an investment in your home. This is what protects you from the outdoor elements, and when you have siding that’s worn and outdated, it not only presents a major eyesore but it also presents safety hazards as well. Things like cracks lead to leaks and water damage, which can also lead to mold infestations.

So you may have to have a moment of transparency about your home to buckle down and replace your siding… After all, the siding of your home is really the major contributor to your home’s overall curb appeal; If the siding isn’t in good shape, be prepared for your home to be the eyesore of the neighborhood.