If your house is going on the market soon, or you plan to sell sometime in the coming months, you’ve probably spent many hours getting the interior of the home in order. You’ve likely sorted, cleaned, and followed realtors’ tips about how to stage a property most effectively.
However, have you also paid attention to the outdoor areas of your home? These are equally important and, to some people, even more so. “Plus, keep in mind that curb appeal has a significant impact on how quickly you can sell your home and the price you fetch, so it’s vital to give people a good impression as soon as they arrive at your property.” You can attract savvy buyers sooner by revamping outdoor spaces and giving people more to love.
Declutter
First, declutter your yard. Try to look at outdoor areas with fresh eyes, seeing anything that looks out of place or unsightly. Focus on broken bits and pieces, too. For example, it might be time to get rid of water features that no longer work, a treehouse that’s falling to bits, play equipment that has rusted out, or benches, statues, equipment, etc., that has seen better days and can’t be repaired.
Get the Lawn Looking Its Best
Next, turn your attention to your lawn. People enjoy seeing lush green grass that’s healthy and well cared for. Spend time watering and mowing your lawn often, though be careful never to cut more than a third of the blades off at one time, or you could damage the grass. It’s also wise to regularly fertilize the lawn to help it stay in prime condition.
The grass needs aerating a couple of times per year, usually, too. Plus, be sure to rake up leaves quickly, so they don’t have a chance to get wet, form a mat, and strangle the lawn. If you struggle to get all this maintenance work done, it’s worthwhile hiring a trusted local lawn service to keep your grass looking good in the lead up to the house sale.
Cut Back Greenery
Don’t stop your gardening focus at the lawn, either. It’s vital to cut back greenery around your yard to make the areas look not only more pleasing to the eye but bigger as well. Get rid of dead trees, shrubs, or other plants, as well as dead branches. Trim hedges, shrubs and cut away greenery that has grown onto the roof or too close to any part of the home.
Chop down branches that overhang and clog up gutters, too. Plus, relocate any plants that are too big for their current locations or were placed too close to the house or other unwise positions.
Add Color with Plants
If your yard is currently looking a bit bare and lackluster, you can add more life to it by putting in some colorful new plants. Choose hardy options that don’t need too much water, as most home buyers these days are keen to save time and money and help the environment when it comes to watering. You might also want to put some pretty plants in pots and place them near the front door of your home and around outdoor entertaining areas and other spots to liven things up a bit.
Attend to Fixtures and Fittings
Outdoor spaces contain more than gardens, too. It’s a good idea to repair or replace fixtures and fittings outside that can make your property appear older and more worn out. For example, consider putting in a new mailbox and front door or painting them and attaching new hardware.
Repair fencing or add fences if they’re not currently there, as many people need secure spaces for young children or pets. Fencing can provide additional privacy to yards, too, which is a plus. If there are cracks in your home’s driveway and other paths, think about getting these attended to as well.
Furthermore, make sure there’s proper outdoor lighting at your property. Not all house inspections happen during the day, so you want potential buyers who visit at night to see properly and take in all the outdoor space. Lighting is essential for safety when walking about at night, too.
Also, be on the lookout for any leaks, rust, or other issues that need to get sorted out. No one wants to buy a home where they’re not sure about the costs involved in replacing pipes or doing other major repair work.
Selling a home is a big undertaking that can be stressful and time-consuming. You’ll give yourself the best chance of making things happen quickly, though, if you follow the steps above and get your property’s yards looking immaculate.
