Five gardening tips to help sell your home quickly

It may be understandable that when selling a home, the majority of improvements homeowners begin to make are within the confines of the actual house itself. After all, it’s these spaces where the prospective homeowners will be spending the most time – so making these stand out should be a priority. 

But often overlooked by home sellers are the property’s garden areas – both at the front and back of the house. When maintained and presented to a high standard, these areas can be highly influential in securing (and ultimately, speeding up!) the sale of your house. With the summer season in full swing, there is no better time to make your garden stand out – so we’ve put together five gardening tips to help sell your home quickly!

1. When making garden improvements, less is more… 

A gardening tip to remember when preparing to sell your house is that prospective homeowners will envision what the garden would look like if they were to live there. Although you may have an amazing vision for what you’d look for in a garden, offering prospective buyers a beautifully presented canvas that they are able to work with and take in their own direction will certainly work in your favour when selling. 

So, when you’re making improvements, it may be worthwhile to avoid going overboard on features which prospective owners may wish to remove (such as dotted around plant pots and unnecessary ornaments), and instead focus on the key components which make a garden – such as the lawn, fencing and patio maintenance for example. These more permanent fixtures should instead be presented to a high standard for potential buyers to then add their own touches and personality to the garden.

Not only will keeping things simple make your garden look more spacious, less overwhelming and clean – it also keeps your budget low as you will not be over-spending on potentially unwanted features. It’s for these reasons that we think less is more when making gardening improvements, which will ultimately increase your chances of selling.

2. Keep your audience in mind... 

Another tip is to consider the market your property appeals to, and to think about how their needs can be reflected and catered for in your property’s garden areas. In other words, your market should be at the forefront of your decision making when making any gardening improvements.

For instance, if you’re selling a family house with a pond in the garden, is this area suitable for young children to play around in the summer? Or does it instead present itself as a potential hazard that prospective buyers with small children will consider when making their decision? 

When making any improvements to your garden, your priority should be to consider whether these changes will compliment your target market in terms of how they will be making use of the space. Any changes which prospective buyers may have to fork out money to change will affect their decision-making process and hinder your chances of making the sale!

3. Liven up your garden with some colour…

Being shown around a duly coloured garden is unlikely to excite a prospective buyer – so why not impress them by showing off with some colourful plants and décor? With the summer season in full swing, now is the perfect time to brighten up your garden some colour.

There is plenty of easy-to-care-for species out there, which can be grown by even the most amateur of gardeners. Plants such as Sweetpeas, Marigolds, Lavander and Daylilies are all readily available and low maintenance – perfect for sprucing up your garden without splashing out on expensive plants (and even more expensive gardeners!).

But it’s not only plants that can add colour and life. Got a shed in your garden? Give it a makeover with a lick of paint in a colour complimentary of your garden. You may wish to even do the same with any other fixed items throughout the garden to keep them fresh-looking and modern. Generally speaking, these are quick and easy jobs which are likely to pay dividends when trying to sell your house. 

4. Light up the garden’s landscape...

It’s important to make sure that all the glorious improvements you’ve made to your garden can be seen throughout the entire day. Consider this: it’s getting late into the day and the sun’s beginning to go down. A prospective buyer is running late on their way to your property, and you haven’t installed any lights to show off your hard work! You wouldn’t view the inside of a house with all the lights off, so don’t leave your garden in the dark!

We recommend investing in some solar lights to liven up your garden in the night-time.  Not only are they cost effective and eco-friendly, but they also look great (both off and on!) when placed appropriately throughout a garden. Think about lighting up pathways or placing them in a uniform manner throughout any flowerbeds to show off the garden’s colours. 

This is especially important during the winter months where it gets dark earlier, so installing lights should certainly be at the top of your list once the summer days have passed.

5. Remember to keep on top of it!

It comes as no surprise to many that selling a house is not always a speedy process. Although improvements to your garden are likely to increase your chances of selling, it is important to remember to maintain its beauty throughout the selling period. So, take advantage of the summer days and use them as an excuse to get outside and give your garden some ongoing TLC.

Once most of the leg work is done, we recommend taking a few hours out of your day each week to stay on top of the improvements you’ve worked hard to implement. Mow the lawn regularly, check up on your plants, and make sure all your lights are working. By attending to your garden frequently, you’ll be prepared for any last-minute property viewings – impressing prospective buyers who may decide to go through with the sale. 

We hope our tips will help you sell your home quickly! If you do need further property advice, get in touch with us here.