If you watch any of those house flipping shows, you know how important home landscaping staging is. And if you know anything about real estate, you’d also know what a big deal curb appeal is.
Return on investment for landscaping your property can add as much as 14% to your resale value and speed up its sale. So it makes sense to invest a little in landscape staging, especially considering how important first impressions are.
A potential buyer will see your house online and form one impression, so it’s important to maintain or improve that impression when they drive by. If they don’t like what they see when they drive past, you’ll find it a lot harder to sell them on the inside, let alone get them in the door.
Here are 8 essential landscape and lawn staging tips to add value to your home, add curb appeal, and give you more success when selling.
Furnish the Front Yard
Alright – let’s start with the fun part! Make your property pop by accessorizing; you don’t have to go all out, and you could even look into borrowing from a friend! That’s what friends are for, right?
Let potential homebuyers imagine themselves relaxing on the front porch by adding cosy chairs and a simple table. While you’re at it, pop a nice plant on the table and add a seasonal wreath to the front door to welcome them in. In the warmer months, they’ll want to spend time out here reading the paper and enjoying a coffee, so make sure it looks like a comfy place to do that.
Freshen Up The Lawn
Depending on how much there is to address, you want to get started on this well in advance.
Make sure the lawn is well groomed and watered. If you’re planning on selling in the Fall, stay on top of the raking. Add fresh seed to fill in bare areas of the lawn, and get on your hands and knees to pull out any niggly weeds.
If you’ve got time up your sleeve and quite a bit of damage, speak to a lawn care professional about assessing your lawn; they might suggest something like slitseeding. But if it’s too far gone and weather permits, consider resodding; either way you go, a small investment will go a long way in increasing your value.
To give yourself a better chance of selling, you want to make your home inviting and exciting.
Adding potted flowers around the property will give your home color and personality, making it look welcoming as potential buyers drive by.
Place potted flowers by entrances; a pop of color on each side of the door will give buyers a nice warm feeling. Also consider lining walkways with smaller plants to create some excitement.
Add Texture with Landscaping
You might already have some great landscaping materials around your front yard, and it’s just a matter of sprucing them up with fresh mulch or extra pebbles. If there isn’t a lot going on, speak to a landscaping consultant or hit up Pinterest for a bit of inspiration.
Think about creating different textures and levels; add a tall planter to create height or add some wood chips to your garden beds to amplify the landscape.
Tidy Up Trees & Shrubs
No matter the season, it’s always a good idea to spruce up your trees & shrubs.
Prune or trim trees and get rid of any dead branches – it’s all in the details! If you have a little more time up your sleeve, start feeding trees & shrubs with liquid fertilizer to keep them protected when it comes time to sell.
If any of your trees & shrubs are beyond repair, just remove and replace.
Pressure Wash the Exterior
Dirt builds up over the years without you really noticing. You’d be surprised what a bit of water can do; with a little effort, all of a sudden dirty surfaces can look brand new again!
Rent a pressure washer and clean up your exterior, including walls and fences. Your driveway takes up a great deal of your front yard and will likely have a few oil stains, so give that some extra attention.
Touch Up with Fresh Paint
You might not need to repaint entirely, but fixing up chipped paint along windows, doors, steps and railings can go a long way in improving the overall look of your home.
Highlight the entrance even more by adding a fresh coat of paint to your front door. Strong accent colours are all the rage; just make sure the colour complements the rest of your fixtures.
Update or Replace Dodgy Fixtures
If it’s broken or damaged, fix it! Got an entrance light that hasn’t been working? Sort it out! Does the front door squeak a little when you open it? Oil it! Is your number sign looking a little rusty? Get a new one!
Take a walk around the exterior of your property and make a note of anything you can sort out before buyers roll through. Put yourself in their shoes; what things are you likely to scrutinise? Addressing those issues now will mean you sell sooner, without having to drop your asking price.
If you go through all of these tips, you’ll be in a good position to add value to your home, and make a good return on investment.