Garden Improvements Add Value To Your Home
In the last year, the property market like many other businesses has had its ups and downs. Currently, it’s on the up, with a huge surge in house prices in certain areas. Garden improvements add value to your home, which will help to ensure lots of interest resulting in a quick sale.
If you’re thinking of joining the current upward trend in selling your home then you need to start thinking of ways to make quick, cost-effective home improvements.
Having worked in the property business in the past I can assure you that first impressions count. Most people will think about sprucing up their property with a lick of paint and basic refurbishing if necessary but they don’t always think about the garden.
Not everyone can see past clutter, untidiness or unkempt gardens.
With this in mind let’s take a look at ways to improve your property’s outdoor space in order to make the best impact for prospective buyers.
Basics to consider for added value are new storage sheds, new paving/patio and attractive flower beds.
Garden Improvements Add Value To Your Home
- Front Garden
- Rear Garden
- Outbuildings Sheds Fences
- Garden Landscaping Ideas
- Best Use Of Outdoor Space
- Clear Boundaries
Front Gardens
Gardens can be improved easily at very little cost. Adding a wow factor to the front garden is child’s play.
First of all, ensure that any unwanted items are removed, empty plant pots, ornaments or discarded clutter makes for an untidy front aspect.
If refuse bins are located at the front of your property keep them all in the same place and as tidy as possible. Adding a bin store would be ideal.
Do any weeding that is necessary, along with cutting back of dead foliage on perennial plants and annuals. Prune overgrown shrubs or climbing plants.
Plant some seasonal plants to give instant colour and interest.
Arrange a few well maintained and colourful container plants or hanging baskets by the front door.
Best Plants for Hanging Baskets
Keep the lawn tidy with regular mowing.
Driveways and parking areas should be weed-free, swept free of leaves and debris.
If part or all of the front space is paved, consider cleaning it to remove stains and moss. This is easily done with a power washer if you have one or you can use a patio cleaner such as Best Patio Cleaner Sika Mould Buster which is quicker, less messy and uses a lot less water.
Rear Gardens
Having dealt with the front and foremost garden, we can move on to the rear gardens.
As with the front, keep them weeded, tidy and well maintained. Prune shrubs and trees if required as you would anyway per season.
Have some seasonal planting too, again to show colour, variety and interest.
Full Sun Perennials that Bloom all Summer
Ensure that pergolas or archways are sturdy, safe and maintained.
Clear patios of any clutter or debris and plant up some seasonal containers.
Permanent seating or dining areas also should be clear of debris, weeds and leaves.
Mow lawns regularly to keep them neat. I always think that when a lawn is mowed and its edges trimmed it lifts the whole garden.
Keep any vegetable growing areas maintained too.
Pathways should be kept clear so that people can walk along easily when viewing the property.
Store away anything that may detract from an otherwise neat garden for example tools or garden accessories that are not in use, such as a barbecue or children’s toys.
Outbuildings Sheds Fences
Outbuildings, garden sheds or summerhouses and fences need to look well looked after too. Repaint/ treat as necessary. Repair anything that requires it. Think about replacing any that are beyond repair.
Sheds etc don’t have to cost a lot of money and buyers will appreciate that they don’t have to install or repair one.
6 Best Wooden Garden Storage Sheds Review
It is also useful to have an electric supply to outbuildings and sheds.
Garden Landscaping Ideas
For those with a larger budget, wishing to add value by making garden improvements, there is the option of having the gardens landscaped or completely redesigned.
Finding and contracting companies to undertake this work takes a little of research time. A garden landscaper or designer will obviously discuss your requirements as well as design ideas, planting schemes and costs.
Landscaping your garden for resale needn’t cost the Earth. Approximately £2750 for an average suburban size garden. This in comparison to an extension which can cost £80,000 is a drop in the ocean. Quotes for a 4m x 4m conservatory come in at £18,000 at least.
By landscaping your garden you can potentially increase its value by 77%, (according to research by Post Office Money). Therefore, this is the best improvement to invest in.
DIY landscaping will cost less and you can do the work in your own time.
Take into account, seating, dining or children’s play area. Think about the catchment area you are in, this will likely play a part in the age groups of potentially interested parties. If for example, you live in a predominantly retirement area, buyers probably won’t want a play area for kids in the gardens. Properties near schools, or with young families will think differently about play areas.
Do you want to highlight a low maintenance garden or a contemporary, modern style garden for entertaining in? The possibilities are endless, do some homework first on who is buying in the area and you will have a better idea of what you need to achieve.
Think about what is trending in gardens, in terms of materials for patios or decking.
What type of seating is attractive and popular right now? Consider adding some lighting if none exists at the moment for added evening ambiance.
Maybe a specific cooking place for barbecues or an outdoor kitchen
Vegetable growing and raised beds are also on an upward trend in the world of gardening.
Make Best Use Of Outdoor Space
If you have a lovely focal point in your garden show it off to its best advantage. This might be a summerhouse or a gorgeous view, a water feature or a peaceful, private place to relax.
It could simply be a beautiful tree.
As I have already said above re-paint/refurbish a summerhouse. Tidy it inside, make it somewhere a buyer would enjoy spending time.
Arrange chairs and a table for drinks or a cup of tea. Put the idea into their head that they would enjoy being in your outdoor spaces.
Play areas should look fun as well as safe.
Take advantage of a nice view, make it more visible if possible.
Clear Boundaries
Always ensure that fences, walls, hedges and access to and from the property is clear to see, keep them maintained.
Buyers like to see that fences etc are in good repair. They also afford privacy and security.
I think this is probably more important in rural areas or for people with a very large garden and/or land.
At my house, for example, the garden rises to various different levels. It is adjacent to a neighbouring house that has a fair bit of land and farmland to the rear. Boundary lines are not straight and took some working out initially with the aid of the plans in order to identify where they were exactly.
On housing estates and streets, the property boundaries are usually pretty obvious.
Conclusion
Considering that some or all of the above garden improvements add value to your home or help to generate more interest, you can see how straightforward it is to get the best possible valuation.
More importantly, a buyer may well choose your property over a similarly priced one that has not undergone any garden improvements.
Please note that the same applies to the house as well, the property should be in good repair throughout. I am only discussing ideas for outdoor space in this article.
The theme of my article as you can tell is general maintenance. A pleasant well-kept garden is always a pleasure to see and will help to instill in someone’s mind a desire to live in a particular property.
Keen gardeners will invariably be more interested in the outdoor space than in the house itself.
I read a post on Twitter recently, I can’t remember who posted it but they had just moved house. His words were, “I have bought a garden, it comes with a house attached”
Anyone looking for their first garden or indeed a larger one will empathise.
Very basic tidiness, clear boundaries, established plants and seasonal colour all help attract the interest of buyers to your property.
I would recommend setting yourself a budget and a task list to work from so that you don’t overspend in areas that wouldn’t make a deal of difference to the property value
I hope that this article has helped in some way, if you have found it interesting please share it with friends and family and on social media. If you have any questions or would like to add your views you can pop them in the comments box below. I am law happy to hear from my readers and will reply as soon as I can.
Happy Gardening
