With Spring approaching read why landscaping can make your home sell faster and for more money!
You have probably heard the phrase "first impressions are important" and this true! Especially when selling a home!
Plain and simple! The quality of your landscaping determines whether or not your home feels inviting from the outside.
Curb appeal is what it is called and it is a key ingredient in the decision to buy a home. As you know, landscaping plays a huge role in the curb appeal that you present to prospective buyers for your home. The first impression is key: if buyers don't like what your home looks like from the front of your house when they first pull up, they may not even go into your home.
From a return on investment (ROI) perspective, investments in landscaping tend to provide a much higher payout.
While a kitchen upgrade can yield as much as 68% ROI, money invested in improving your landscaping could net you a lovely 215%. Without question, it is money well spent, especially if your neighbors have upgraded their home's plush greenery and flowers.
If you are willing to do what's necessary, having great landscaping can make your home sell faster and for more money. Here are four things regarding your landscaping and the positive impact it can have on your home sale!
1. Maintenance
If you're planning on selling your home, you'll need to get ahead of the game. What that means is it's going to take time to make sure your lawn, shrubs and overall landscaping scene are going to be ready for when you sell. You see it can be more than just cutting the lawn and planting a few flowers.
First, you need to clean your yard: Remove dead branches, pick up dog droppings, weed everywhere and remove or repair anything that is broken.
From there, you need to attack the hidden or unseen things like ensuring the downspouts are clean and functional and taking time to make sure drain pipes are properly buried and draining so you don't get standing water anywhere.
After that, pay attention to what industry experts call "hardscapes". Areas like patios, walkways & fences. Make sure they are level and don't have roots pushing up around the base or any cracks. Also, make sure your deck does not have wobbly railings or loose steps.
Lastly, review the health of your plants & shrubs. Dead, dying and/or yellow plants not only look bad, but they can lead to additional maintenance problems that may need attention or correction in the future. In addition, trim back overgrown shrubs, especially those that encroach walkways and will impede people's access into your home.
Because your front yard plays such a pivotal role in getting people into the front door to sell your home, it should look pristine as possible.
2. Landscaping features
While the front yard is the curb appeal that gets people in the door, the backyard is the "eye candy" that keeps people there. People look at the backyard as a comforting spot to hang out, socialize and spend time with friends and family.
When you think backyard, think decks and patios. Also consider other personalized options such as fire pits, outdoor kitchens, fountains and lighting. These are things that make a backyard seem like paradise to people. You don't want folks to walk out and just see a fence. It is not very appealing nor exciting.
When it comes to the furniture outdoors, it does not need to be expensive either! However, it should be in decent condition for a potential buyer to be able to vision what life would potentially look like in that seat for them. Try scrubbing it clean or getting new cushions!
3. Don't waste your money
Expenses can add up quickly when you're making upgrades and renovations so your yard looks good for buyers. Just like you wouldn't put highly customized and expensive upgrades inside your home, you wouldn't put extremely unique plants, decorations or hardscapes in your yard prior to sale.
A couple key things to avoid:
-Spending a lot of money on mature plants that someone might rip out the day they move in.
-Pick neutral decorations & neutral colors for hardscapes that would be appreciated by a wide number of buyers.
Invest wisely as you choose to upgrade your yard. For example if you know you will be selling your home one day down the road and you need to put in a fence, choose an alternate board option. It may cost a little more but it will be more appealing to future buyers than a traditional picket or chain link fence.
4. Simplicity speaks volumes
Sometimes, the most elegant things are also the simplest. Doing something like carving out a small part of your backyard with a little patio, a couple of chairs and a chiminea would cost you a small amount of money, but could increase the perceived value of your home greatly.
Same thing goes for plants.
If you are going to put in flowers, plants, shrubs, etc. make sure that they are the type that do well in our climate and look like they belong in the area. Use plants that grow well in our area during the season's in which they flourish.
Lastly, make sure that your lawn is lush & full. It doesn't have to be huge and it doesn't have to be deep and dark. Just maintain it to make sure it looks pretty.
In the end, taking care of the outside is like taking care of the inside. Remove clutter and keep everything well organized. In some cases, it may make more sense to plant fewer items (or remove) to give your home a fresh, clean look.
Landscaping should be simple, elegant and beautiful. Strive for that for your home and you should be in great shape when it comes time to sell.