Before that “For Sale” sign is hammered into your front lawn, stand back and take a good look at what you see. Many potential buyers are going to get their first -- and perhaps their only -- impression of your home from their car window. So don’t underestimate the importance of your yard when you put your home on the market.
This doesn’t mean you have to spend a fortune on landscaping. These seven simple tricks can make a dramatic difference:
1. Tidying
It’s just as important to declutter the outside of your home as it is the inside. Stow any outdoor tools, toys, sports equipment or trash cans out of sight. Nowhere to put it all? Consider investing in a neutral-colored plastic storage shed for the corner of your yard. You can always take it with you.
2. Mowing
Be sure to keep your lawn neatly mowed while your home is for sale. A shaggy, unkempt lawn gives the impression that the inside of your house may also be uncared for. Buyers pay more for a carefully maintained home.
3. Trimming
Is overgrown shrubbery obscuring your house? Dense bushes can make your home appear smaller than it actually is. Trim shrubs back to provide a clear view of your house. And clear greenery away from windows to let in plenty of light. Rooms flooded with sunshine are warm and appealing.
4. Edging
One of the quickest and easiest garden makeovers you can do is to simply take a spade and create deeply defined edges around all your trees and flower beds. It’s one of the tricks professional gardeners use. To keep yourself digging in a straight line, use a string tied between two stakes. Or create gentle undulating curves that follow the natural line of your garden.
5. Weeding
No need to spend hours pulling weeds in your garden to make a great impression. A quick turning of the soil in flowerbeds and around shrubs should bury small offenders and loosen major weeds for easy removal. Try digging and turning the soil as much as possible with the spade as you edge.
6. Mulching
Spreading a layer of mulch around your plantings is a quick way to both hide and prevent weeds. It can also tidy the appearance of areas, such as around the base of evergreens, where you may be having trouble growing grass. Choose a natural product such as wood chips (available by the bag from most garden supply stores) for a clean, environmentally friendly look.
7. Planting
Give your home warm, welcoming appeal with some cheerful flowers. Plant a few clumps of annuals or buy ready-made containers to set on either side of your front door. Choose all white to create a harmonious look that never fails.
Published on January 16, 2007