After looking for homes for sale in Iowa City, you're disappointed to see that most of these houses all look the same! Yes, this suburban problem is a common one but can be very frustrating if you want something a little different. Thankfully, there are many ways that you can upgrade the appearance of your home to make it more original.

Change Up Your Driveway

One thing that drives you crazy about the homes for sale in your neighborhood is how similar all their driveways look. You can't stand how they all use the same type of material and, if you plan on buying in this neighborhood, you want to change up your driveway in a variety of different ways.

For example, you could take out the dull old concrete and add an asphalt surface that looks more attractive. Beyond that, you could also add decorative elements along the side of your driveway, such as lights or even fences and gates, that keep your driveway handsome and appealing to others.

Improve Your Entryway

The first thing that people see when they come to your home is your entryway. And, like all other homes in your neighborhood, the house you're interested in buying has the same entryway. Even worse, you can't stand out this entryway looks, and you want to change up its style in a variety of ways.

For example, you could add handsome wooden benches near your entryway to make it stand out without changing the style too much. However, you could also add a cover over your entryway that keeps your visitors out of the rain and snow when they visit and while they wait for you to answer the door.

Add Trees and Other Natural Elements

Although most of the homes for sale in your neighborhood have some trees and bushes, they typically feature the same types of species located in the same spots. Thankfully, you can upgrade your home by tweaking your trees and plants in ways that enhance and improve the style of your home.

For example, you could add bushes along your fences to make them not only more effective but more attractive. You could also plant a variety of fruit trees in your yard from which you could grab a multitude of delicious foods, such as apples, oranges, and even cherries. The options here are limitless.

Tweak Your Window Styles

In some ways, the windows are like the eyes on your house and serve as a portal into its soul. If this concept is too complicated or spiritual, think of your windows as the style maker for your home. With poor windows, your home is going to look less impressive and certainly won't stand out in your neighborhood.

Try to add new windows, such as casement or even double-blind windows, to make your home look a little different than others. This extra step will not only help you stand out but will make your home harder to ignore because your neighbors will see how you took a little extra work to look better.

Add New Rooms When Possible

Although this option is one of the most expensive on this list, it provides you with the best chances for improving your home's style. When you add new rooms to any of the homes for sale you are interested in buying, you can expand their use and break their form from the uniformity common near you.

The problem with this approach, beyond the extra cost, issues you might have with zoning commissions. For example, they may state that you cannot build a new room because it would be too close to your neighbor. This situation is the one that requires the most amount of approval to avoid difficulties.

Paint Your Home a New Color

If all of the homes in your area are painted the same color, it is effortless to feel like you don't stand out anyway. Talk to your zoning and neighborhood commission about whether or not painting is possible. If they don't care about these changes, consider painting your home as soon as possible.

This step is a smart one for a variety of reasons. First of all, it can immediately upgrade your house and provide a unique look that stands apart from your neighbors. And, just as importantly, you can create the house that you want and work from your new paint job on all other decoration projects.

Update Minor Decorative Items

Your neighbors like to change up a few different elements on their home to stand out in subtle ways. This step is often smart when looking at homes for sale because you might be allowed to change too many elements of your home without risking the ire of zoning officials or neighborhood commissions who want the uniform to appear uniform.

For example, some people add cool mailboxes to their home to stand out. You can buy one that symbolizes an interest of yours or that emulates your home. The options here are many. However, you can also add lawn ornaments, tweak up your garage door, or even add different fencing elements to make your home look different than others in your area.

Hang Flowers in Handsome Ways

Flowers are one decorative element that often looks great on just about any home. For example, you can add flower beds around your home to produce a more colorful and attractive style. Just as importantly, you can hang flowers from your home or add them to various areas of your home to draw the eye and stand out from your many competing houses.

Don't take this step unless you genuinely like working with flowers or have a green thumb that makes gardening simple and easy for you to handle. Flowers ake a lot of work to keep healthy and can be a time commitment that you may not want to make. Make sure to research what types of flowers go well with your soil type and how much work must go into each to avoid this issue.

Get Professional Help

By now, you should have a pretty good idea of the amount of work that you need to put in to keep your home looking great. These steps vary in intensity and time investment but performing even a handful of them can make your home a more appealing place to live. So if you're looking for homes for sale in your area and want help, please contact us at Kathy Fobian today. We serve Iowa City and the surrounding areas and will do what we can to make your home stand out from your neighbors.