01 Sep Landscaping ideas to help sell your house
Getting the best price for your property means presenting it in its best possible light. But not just the inside. Here are some landscaping ideas to help sell your house.
Keeping it simple
Prospective buyers need to be able to picture the potential of a whole property. Inside and outside. Indoors people are advised to de-clutter and freshen up the décor with a neutral pallet. Outside, you might not want to spend money on a complete garden makeover. But there are a few landscaping ideas and tricks you can use.
- Clear away any old rubbish
- Repair fences
- Have patios, paths, and driveways thoroughly cleaned
- Trim hedges and prune overgrown bushes
- Weed and mulch the flower beds
- Add instant colour with plants in containers
Your garden doesn’t need to be elaborate if it’s to help sell your house, but it helps if it’s neat and tidy. No clutter, lawn edges trimmed, and patio spotless.
This is a newly landscaped garden that is easy to maintain and bursting with kerb appeal
Kerb appeal
How photogenic is your garden? Most prospective buyers will be researching properties online. What is it about your property’s photo that will stop them from scrolling and entice them to take a closer look?
An overgrown hedge, broken gate, or cluttered driveway screams “unloved” and suggests that it will cost a fortune to put things right. It also gives the impression that inside might be a bit of a pickle too.
Don’t put people off, make sure that the first impression people have is of a sound, well cared for property that’s well worth the asking price.
De-clutter
Most home buyers will be planning to spend any spare cash personalising the inside of the property before they start on the garden. So at the very least, they want to take on a garden that’s neat, safe and useable.
Rusty trampolines, decaying sheds, tired toys, and worst of all – dog poo will instantly put doubts into the mind of a new buyer. Pick up the poo, mow the lawn and hire a firm to get rid of any detritus that you won’t be taking with you.
Straight away, the garden will look bigger and anyone will be able to start thinking about their own landscaping ideas.
Repair structures
One of the easiest landscaping ideas on our list. You’d be surprised at how a new fence can help to speed up a sale. It offers privacy, security, and the knowledge that this is one repair the new owners won’t need to think about. A new fence looks neat too and will help the garden look clean and uncluttered.
Ditto for the shed and the greenhouse. Fix the shed door, clean the windows and tidy the inside and give it a jaunty coat of paint so it looks like new. If it’s too far gone – demolish it. For the greenhouse, empty out the dead plants, sweep the floor and polish the glass. Again, if it’s in serious disrepair, think about removing it. Second-hand greenhouses sell well online.
A new fence offers privacy and security
Clean up your hard landscaping features
Cleaning your driveway, patio, paths, and decking is an incredibly satisfying job and it can totally transform your outdoor space.
Make sure you use the right cleaning materials and tools for the job. For small areas, use a solution of washing up liquid in warm water and a broom to scrub the area. Rinse with a hosepipe and the job’s done. Don’t use bleach or harsh chemicals – they can do enormous amounts of damage to the environment as well as to the surface you’re cleaning.
If you opt for pressure washing, be very careful not to wash away the grouting from between the pavers. If you have weeds or moss growing in the cracks, apply a weed killer and wait a couple of weeks for them to die and loosen up. Then, set the pressure washer jet nice and wide and don’t get it too close to the surface.
Tidy up the plants
The whole idea of this garden tidy up is to make the space look manageable. When it comes to large plants such as hedges and shrubs, clean, controlled lines look great.
The number one rule with hedge trimming is to avoid disturbing nesting birds. Ideally, hedge trimming should be avoided in spring and summer but if you can’t wait until autumn, check for nests before you start.
For hedges that are completely out of control, I would recommend calling in the professionals. They have the tools and the knowhow to do a good job in a short time. I can personally recommend Masons Tree Surgery for any hedging or tree work.
In the beds and borders, start by removing dead and dying plants. Dig out any weeds and cover the whole area with a thick layer of mulch. Mulch not only looks neat, it will suppress weeds so that once your garden tidy up is done – it really is done.
Create focal points with potted plants
When your garden is tidy but tired, you can use container plants to lead the eye away from the boring bits.
If at all practical, place a planter full of colourful plants right beside the front door. It’s a great welcome gesture, plus, every time you use the door, you’ll be reminded to water them.
In the back garden – because that matters too – dress the patio with furniture, cushions, blankets and pot plants. Make sure that the view from the patio doors invites people out of doors, let them see that the property has valuable outdoor space with bags of potential.
A garden makeover to help sell your house
It’s said that landscaping can add up to 15% to the value of your property. Why not talk to your estate agent to see how a garden makeover would raise your selling price?
If you don’t have the time or the budget for a complete garden makeover, you could invest in a professional garden design instead. For a moderate fee, you would then have a beautifully drawn plan so that you could help prospective buyers to imagine the property once it’s been landscaped.
Need help preparing your garden for a sale?
The Holland Landscapes team offers a wide range of landscaping services. From fencing or turfing to full-on garden makeovers.
Head on over to our website to see how we can help you improve the kerb appeal of your property.
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