Add Literary Curb Appeal to your Portland Home
What could be more Portland than Little Free Libraries? We love books, sharing resources and adding quirky, cute flourishes to our neighborhoods. As your Portland real estate agent, I know that charm sells.
I think Little Free Libraries are an untapped resource for adding curb appeal, and a great way to give something back to your neighborhood before you move out. Sure, when most real estate agents talk about curb appeal they’re talking about giving your home a fresh coat of paint, cleaning the windows, and keeping the yard spic and span. All of these deeds can do wonders for your home value. But why not get a little more creative than that?
What is a LFL?
You’ve probably seen one by now — a cute wooden box on a post with doors on it that allows passers-by to leave or take a book. Unlike a conventional library, there’s no due dates, and anyone can use it. Little Free Libraries (LFLs) provide access to books in neighborhoods that lack libraries, and help to build a sense of community among neighbors and visitors. While there isn’t any hard data on the impact of LFLs on home values, who doesn’t want to live in a neighborhood where sharing books is as normal as walking the dog?
By the way, Little Free Library is capitalized because there’s an actual non-profit organization that allows you to register your LFL and put it on a map with others around the world. However, the beauty of this movement is that it’s not really centralized or managed, and nobody’s going to make you register. All you really need is a little time and the desire to host an adorable box of free books in your front yard!
Portland, Capitol of Little Libraries?
There’s a reason that Portland ranked #11 in the latest Daily Beast report of “Smartest Cities”. With a high percentage rate of bachelors’ or graduate degree holders, and legendary bookstores like Powell’s City of Books, we’re a very literate municipality! You won’t have to worry about spiderwebs in your tiny house of books. Portland homeowners have already installed over 130 registered Little Free Libraries in neighborhoods across the city, and the movement is growing.
The Littlefreelibrary.org website has some advice about where to place LFLs. They are usually sited on private property (like your front yard) and as long as they don’t obstruct traffic going by, the city will not have an issue with it. The little piece of real estate you give your LFL will be the biggest determiner of its success. Neighbors should feel comfortable accessing it, so near the sidewalk or street is best. If you have to set it back a little, give it its own walkway so that it doesn’t feel like people are walking haphazardly across your yard. That’s uncomfortable for LFL patrons as well as potential home buyers!
Keep in mind that if you have an HOA or condo association, they may have their own rules about what you can place in your yard. Check your HOA covenants before you set up your Little Free Library.
DIY or Buy?
Whether you build your own Little Free Library or purchase one premade is entirely up to you. A basic model is available through littlefreelibrary.org for $150, but you’ll have to do some finishing assembly and final touches, like painting it and putting it on a post.
Many plans are available online, and if you have some basic carpentry skills, you should be able to put together a box with doors on it, and make it as simple or elaborate as you feel like! Here are some tips to keep in mind:
— Most LFLs are constructed out of plywood and have a solid roof to keep the weather out. If you want your Little Free Library to be entrusted with your community’s favorite books for years to come, build it solid!
— Use recycled and found materials to keep that Portland eco-friendly vibe. Did you do any remodeling in preparation for listing your home for sale? Then you probably have old decking, corrugated metal, fencing or shingles. If you don’t, hit up a Habitat for Humanity ReStore or one of several other recycled building material centers in Portland. For less than $50 you can probably score the majority of your materials for your LFL!
— Safety first! Make sure your recycled materials won’t give splinters, remove any old nails, staples or screws, and watch out for lead paint. Kids will be using the library and maybe even playing near it, so avoid using glass. However, it’s very helpful if people can see the books inside, so plexiglass is recommended for the door.
– Use exterior-grade paint or stain on the outside and inside of your box for extra protection against that Portland rain!
– Door handles, exterior trim and the post the library stands on are great places to get creative!
— Check out more tips, blueprints and tutorials at littlefreelibrary.org
Get Your Real Estate Agent Involved
When you show your listing agent your home for the first time, be sure to include your LFL in the tour and explain some of the benefits so that they can be familiar with them if buyers ask. You might say “I love how I’ve gotten to meet my neighbors ever since I put in this Little Free Library.” Or, “This is my yard art, and it’s functional too!”
Whether or not the LFL stays after your home sells is up to you and the buyer, and you may need to specify this in the sales agreement you and your real estate agent draw up. Even if your LFL just lasts a few weeks, you’ll have done your part for literacy and community building in your Portland neighborhood — now that’s a strong argument for curb appeal!
