Don’t forget your home exterior when prepping a house to go on the market!

By Tracy Lee, Content Writer, LawnStarter

When putting a home on the market, staging the outside is at least as important as staging the interior. A home with overgrown grass and weeds can be a real turn-off. A high-maintenance landscape can also scare away potential buyers. But the right decor will entice buyers to the front door and inside. Here are the top exterior home trends for 2020, sure to increase the perceived value of your home.

Living Inside Out

As more people abandon the office space to work from home, having an outdoor escape is crucial. Your backyard is more than just an oasis. It’s an extra entertaining and living space for your home. That’s why outdoor kitchens and fire pits are trending right now. Pergolas and awnings are also essential for anyone wanting to enjoy the backyard in the summer.

Hardscaping

Driveways are becoming bigger and more spacious, allowing for multiple vehicles. Hardscaping such as walkways, larger patios, and decks, or seating areas are a big hit with millennials. They also decrease the amount of lawn you’ll have to mow.

Low Maintenance Landscaping

Fresh From Florida: Gardening Inspiration (:30) from FNGLA on Vimeo. 

Speaking of less mowing, today’s busy homeowner is looking for less work. Automated sprinklers are a must, as are native plants that naturally thrive in the area without the need for constant watering and fertilization. It’s also a more eco-friendly way to landscape.

Mix and match different seasonal varieties of flowers for a pop of color year-round. A hibiscus will add color and depth to your yard. Blanket flowers, marigolds, and spotted bee balm bloom in the summer. Black-eyed Susans, silver-leaved aster, petunias, and crossandras will flower in the fall. Firespike and Bolivian Sunset gloxinia will provide color through the winter, and coreopsis and salvias will bloom throughout the year.

Let There Be Light

You’ve put effort into your lawn and garden, and now it’s time to showcase your work. LED lighting highlights your home’s architecture, and it doesn’t use much electricity. This latest lighting trend also allows you to use your backyard after the sun goes down, and adds an element of safety for visitors.

Doors

Doors do more than open. They invite and are a central focal point to many homes, so they should be more than utilitarian. In 2020, homeowners are looking to make a bold opening statement. Reclaimed wood can accent the style of the home. Black and all-glass doors can be accented with unique hardware.

Side with Beauty and Practicality

Home exteriors sided with wood are gorgeous but don’t weather well. An attractive and long-lasting alternative is fiber cement. Fiber cement handles all kinds of harsh weather and is replacing stucco or rock as well as wood. It’s also a classic way to update an older home.

Simplicity of design and materials are all a part of these trends in home exteriors. From columns to driveways and exterior doors, simple measures provide an eye-catching welcome. These sights reward the eye and mind at the end of the day and can also increase the value of your home.