Curb appeal skyrockets with a coat of paint

(NC)—The Canadian real estate market is hot and with interest rates as low as they are, experts believe the market will stay active in 2012.

This situation doesn't mean maximizing the sale of your house is easy. Most purchasers prefer to see an attractive house that requires no work or imagination on their part. Curb appeal is critical to making a great first impression. One fairly quick, easy and cost effective way to make your house feel more welcoming is to freshen up the front with a coat of paint.

From Benjamin Moore, take a look at a few simple ways to take your home from drab to fab in just two days, or to give it a full makeover in just two weeks:

• Front Door: The front door of a house is the centre of attention. It creates a canvas for a wide array of colour choices that helps to evoke a mood; from a cheerful bright yellow to an elegant, glossy black. It makes a great first impression and sets the tone for the rest of the house.

• Shutters: Whether blending to the body colour or serving as a cosmetic accent to the overall colour scheme of the house, freshly-painted shutters make an instant update. Try a monochromatic palette to give the house a stately feel.

If you've got the time and are up for a bigger make-over – don't stop at the front door and shutters. Extend the polish to the rest of your house façade.

• Porch: As the entry point, the porch is the first “room” that guests experience when they arrive. A clean and tidy porch is critical to making potential buyers feel at home, especially since conversations tend to linger on the porch or while viewing the front of the home. Solid deck stain is one way to enhance and preserve the beauty of your front porch.

• Trim: New trim paint gives special emphasis to attractive architectural features. From the Benjamin Moore palette, try Wolf Gray, a gorgeous gray neutral, or Stone Castle, a warm taupe, to highlight the exterior characteristics of your house.

• Garage Doors: For a subtle makeover, paint your garage doors to coordinate with the house body colour, or make it standout by using a darker or lighter hue. The colour choices can range from neutral to more adventurous, depending on your aesthetic preference.

• Fences: The right fence colour can underscore the architecture of your home and add character to your yard. Fences provide a colour frame for your property and give the house a distinct personality. Think outside the expected white picket fence and consider Tarrytown Green, to match the landscaped greenery.

More information about curb appeal is available online at Benjaminmoore.ca, or follow the trend experts on Twitter, @BenjaminMooreCA.

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Curb appeal skyrockets with a coat of paint

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