Let the big clear up begin
Having an unappealing garden is said to knock around 5% off the value of your home when putting it on the market. Now that the clocks have turned back, and buyer demand remains strong, this statistic is even more important to take note of if sellers want to maximise the opportunities of the winter property market. Fenn Wright provides their Top Tips on how to prepare your garden for sale:
“Don’t be fooled into thinking that your ‘gardening duty’ is all over until next Spring. There are plenty of buyers over the festive period, with the main property portals claiming that the Christmas period is the most popular time for buyers browsing the Internet for a new home. In order to sell your home quickly and for the best price, it’s therefore not just about ensuring the inside of your home is looking its best this winter. Making sure your garden is looking its best for marketing photographs and property viewings is vital during this time of year!
“Long gone are the colourful botanical blooms, autumnal leaves, warm weather and blue skies of spring and summer, which help brighten up outside space and enhance the appeal of a home. Despite having the warmest October I can remember in a very long time, the weather has now taken a turn for the worse. Investing a little time and effort to winterise your garden is crucial to enhance its appeal to attract interest and maximise the value of your home. So let the big clear up begin…
Your Greenhouse
Clean clean clean. Give your greenhouse a good scrub – inside and out. Hot water and some disinfectant should do the trick. Wash out plant pots and seed trays. Leaves and debris will have collected in the gutters and will only worsen as the wind and rain descends so make sure you clear those out too. Use this opportunity to also replace any broken windows or doors. If you have plants in your greenhouse that can survive the colder climate, you’ll need to think about the light available to them to keep them alive and well. Light is an increasingly valuable resource at this time of year so remove any shade paint you may have to maximise the sunlight available to your plants.
Tidy up the lawn
Now I appreciate this is hard to do when it’s raining, and the ground becomes wet for several days, but an overgrown garden is going to put buyers off – whether on a viewing or when looking at photographs on any marketing materials. Keep an eye on the weather and mow the lawn when you can. Don’t forget to rake up leaves and remove any moss and old grass clippings, including around paths. If you’re lucky enough to have fruit trees, make sure you have picked them up off the ground to help everything look tidy.
Clear up your flower beds
Not all flowers, plants, shrubs and so on make it through the winter so your garden will be starting to look a little bare and boring. Remove anything that has died or shouldn’t be there (remember, it won’t look pretty) such as weeds, debris and any other obstructions to prepare the soil for spring planting. This will ensure your beds look healthier to prospective buyers. You can either leave your beds empty for the new homeowner to add to or you can replant them with winter bedding such as daisies, pansies and wall flowers to provide a colorful display next spring… just in case you are still there.
Clear away gardening tools and toys
Clear the garden of any tools – you don’t want them to rust in the rain anyway. Place neatly in a shed if you have one, or somewhere out of sight if you don’t. The same applies for children’s toys too – you don’t want a messy garden.
Tidy the shed
Give your shed a general tidy – neatly place any items on the floor and/or shelving and remove cobwebs. If you’re using your shed as a junk room, throw away or sell what isn’t coming over to your new home to enhance space.
Find out how Fenn Wright can help sell your home this Winter with a FREE valuation from your local branch in Chelmsford, Witham, Stanway, Colchester, Manningtree, Ipswich and Kesgrave.