Whether you are meeting a new client, attending an interview, or going on a first date; your success will be greatly determined by the first impression that you make.
First impressions are crucial when interacting with new individuals but many people don’t realize that the power of initial interactions are not just restrained to human encounters. Think about the last major purchase you made, whether that was a vehicle or a new piece of technology for your home. You may have heard about this object previously, but the first time you laid eyes on it, something grabbed your attention. It was sleek, modern, or more unique than the rest. It caught your eye, presented itself as a favourable option in your mind, which then caused you to buy it.
Your home is no exception.
When people drive down your street, your house will either blend in with your neighbours homes, or stand out in it’s own spotlight. If a homeowner can make their property different, in a positive manner, it will appear more attractive to a potential homebuyer or the family friend they are hoping to impress.
What Makes a Nanaimo Home Stand Out?
Two common methods that effectively obtain someone’s attention are automaticity and disruption. Automaticity utilizes people’s instincts and senses to draw their eye, for example if you have a room full of people dressed in neutral colours, and one individual is dressed in a bright, vibrant red suit.
Disruption increases someone’s awareness of an item by exceeding their expectations compared to other samples they are presented with. This could be demonstrated by an employee handing in a report one week before the rest of their coworkers, at twice the required length.
In the examples above we are drawn to the person in the red suit and the proactive employee and will further examine these two individuals in a slightly positive light. At the same time, the additional options that did not draw us in will be cast to the back of our minds and not considered as heavily.
One can utilize automaticity and disruption to sell their home faster, increasing the selling price, or to simply increase their home’s curb appeal, standing out as one of the most attractive homes on the street.
A Home’s Focal Point
Mentally take a drive down your own street. Which houses stand out? What first catches your attention? When a potential buyer is analyzing a home, their first impression will be set by the front of your house.
One of the main focal points that can attract the human eye to a home is the garage door. The garage is the largest entrance to a home and can drastically distinguish your property from the others on your street. One of the fastest ways to increase resale value and curb appeal is to enhance your garage door.
Improving Your Garage Door
First things first. If you have an extremely old garage door, consider replacing it with a modern model. Some great options include those with a “wooden” aesthetic, or a design featuring windows near the top of the door.
If you don’t have the funds to replace the old door, there is no need to fret. You can give your current garage a face lift and increase your curb appeal for a very small cost. If your door is not functioning as it should, you need to fix it right away. There is nothing worse than trying to open the door for a prospective buyer or family friend, only to have it fail in a horribly loud display due to damaged springs, cables or rollers. If you live in the area surrounding Nanamio, our team at Alpha Doors can have your garage fixed and working like the day you bought it in no time.
If you have a extremely old garage, ask us about upgrading to a door that can be opened remotely. The homebuyer of today has come to expect this technology in their garage and having a remote door opener that doesn’t work or a manual operation system could be the difference of thousands of dollars in the selling price.
Another great way to quickly improve the appearance of your door is to change the colour to a more bold option. If you are working with a real estate agent you can ask their opinion as they hear the reactions of potential homebuyers everyday. Some of the most popular colours currently are black, dark grey and walnut brown.
A Worthy Investment
According to Remodelling Magazine, replacing, fixing or improving your garage door is one of the top five home improvement projects you can take on to increase your resale value. They estimate a 91.5% return on investment (ROI) when you replace your old garage door, while others quote a ROI of around 85%.
Either way, it is clear that updating the focal point of your home is one of the best investments you can make when trying to increase the value and visual appeal of your house.