Curb Appeal: 2013 Design Trends in Exterior Home Design

Home Design is like a fashion show – with the neighborhood streets as the catwalk. For as much as apparel design changes with the seasons, so it does with home design. Newer designs emerge and classics are reintroduced and enhanced. Elevation styles are important to buyers. They have an idea of what their dream home might look like – so deliver it. They don’t want to settle for anything less…and they don’t need to.

I’ve heard Realtors say that the two most important things in real estate are location and lifestyle. Well, I contend that the third most important thing must be curb appeal. Curb appeal is the attractive quality of a home’s appearance. A home is usually considered appealing when it has a positive, striking character and charm that adds value to the neighborhood.

Today’s new home buyers tend to agree, and curb appeal ranks high on many of the latest consumer preference surveys. Buyers say that they:

• No longer want to buy a home just for resale value
• Plan to stay in their home longer
• Are once again seeking “pride of ownership”
• Prefer not to have a cookie-cutter home
• Are looking for something fresh and new, especially Gen Y buyersThe first impression of a home is forged the instant a buyer pulls up to the curb. Make an impact with an architectural style that is attractive, not forgettable. Do not rely on architectural cosmetics to dress up a front elevation, but rather create a well-designed style that gives the home a personality that fits within the neighborhood. Entice them to stop the car and get out before they decide to drive on another builder’s model or the next listing.

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