With spring about to give way to summer, now’s a great time for homeowners to work on a few simple improvement projects that’ll wow anyone who visits your community. While it can be costly to replace siding, fencing, or to paint an entire home, members can make other significant improvements without much cost or work. That’s why, this week, we want to share some simple projects that would be great to include in your association’s next newsletter or community update.

If your association is looking to refresh the exterior appearance of its homes, these inexpensive pro tips will go miles in invigorating home exteriors!

  • Front Door – Whether it’s peeling paint or weather beaten, a damaged front door can detract from the image of your house. Luckily, it’s easy to correct. Painting or re-staining a door is a small project that would typically cost around $20, and DIY instructions are easy to find online.
  • Accessories – Why not add outdoor accessories? View them as décor for the exterior of the home. These can be as expensive or inexpensive as desired. Consider adding inexpensive enhancements like birdfeeders, birdbaths, mailbox stands, planters, or fire pits.
  • Plant Beds – Add new or additional greenery to plant beds. Perennials are always a good choice because homeowners won’t need to replace them each spring. Adding a fresh layer of mulch to edging or full plant beds can also really freshen up a property.
  • Lighting – What is more unwelcoming than a dark home? Installing some ambient lighting can work wonders. Try adding path lights to the front door or porch. Lighting also has the added benefit of helping to deter intruders.
  • Architecture – Moulding, columns, window boxes, and shutters should be replaced or refinished periodically, so they always look new. These items can really add interest to the architecture of your house.
  • Driveways – Cement can be stained with grease and oil over years of parking in the driveway. Using degreasers can help remove these unsightly discolorations. Dirt and mud stains can be cleaned up with dishwasher detergent and a rough-bristled broom.

We hope that your board finds these suggestions useful! As a final tip, remind homeowners to submit an ACC improvement request form for approval before starting a project. Your board would also benefit from checking that these suggestions are in line with your community’s CC&Rs. You could even update this list for homeowners to include the particular colors, styles, and plant types they can use for their project.