Nicky Roeber is the Online Horticultural Expert at Wyevale Garden Centres. Here, he explains how you can give your garden a makeover in preparation for selling your home.
A garden is among the top three features potential home buyers look for, according to a poll carried out by Saga. So, when you're preparing to sell your property, it's a good idea to get your outdoor space in shape. Not only could this lead to a much quicker sale, but it could even add thousands to the asking price.
Here, I'm going to take you through some simple ways in which you can improve the look of your garden to attract buyers, and ultimately get the most out of your investment. Read on to find out more.
Carry out any repairs that you've been putting off
We're all guilty of putting off repairs. Maybe a few panels were blown off your garden fence last winter, or the bolt on your gate's been broken for a while. Although you might keep your garden tidy for the most part and these little things may have faded into the background for you and your family, they'll stand out to someone new. So, if you're preparing to put your house on the market, now is the time to fix any problems you've been ignoring for a while.
Give your lawn some TLC
If your lawn looks past its best, it's going to bring the rest of your garden down. So, if your grass is overgrown or patchy, you should look to remedy this.
The Royal Horticultural Society has a guide to spring and summer lawn care, which provides plenty of advice on how you can restore your turf back to its former glory. It explains everything, from how often different kinds of grass need mowing, to how you can fix any problems you have with moss. Give it a read and get to work!
Remove any large objects
When potential buyers come to view your house, they'll expect it to be neat and tidy, but they'll also want to be able to imagine themselves living there. So, it's important that you remove any bulky items, such as lawnmowers and barbecues, and put them in storage. You might even want to hide your garden furniture to let viewers see the blank slate they'll be working with.
Add some colour to your space
If your garden's in full bloom, it's guaranteed to impress anyone who comes to look at your home. So, if your outdoor space doesn't have a lot of colour already, planting some shrubs and flowers is a great idea.
If you don't have much gardening experience, I would recommend going for hardy and easy-to-grow varieties. Here are just some of the species you're likely to get along with:
- Lavender
- Daylilies
- Sweetpeas
- Aquilegias
- Marigolds
Plant some of these and you'll soon have a colour-filled garden that's very easy to look after.
Once it's tidy, keep it that way
You can do everything possible and still find that your house doesn't sell for a while — that's just how the property market works. So, it's important that you stay on top of everything, including the upkeep of your garden. This will ensure that you're always prepared for someone to stop by, increasing the chance of you securing a sale.
When you're looking to move to a new house, you'll want to sell your existing property quickly, but also get a fair price for it. Giving your garden a facelift can go a long way to attracting buyers and adding value to your home. So, if you're preparing to put your house on the market, or it's been available for a while but you haven't received any suitable offers, take these tips onboard — they really can help.
Nicky Roeber
