Marketing your home to sell can vary a bit from season to season. If you’re planning to sell during the winter, which tends to be an off-peak time to sell, you don’t have to worry about too much more than clearing and salting the driveaway and walkways for prospective buyers.
If you’re marketing your home to sell from spring through to summer and fall, the outside will matter almost as much as the inside – so I’m here to share some ten backyard makeover ideas to help you market your home when you’re ready to sell.
A nicely groomed, well-cared for lawn, shrubs and some flowers is as basic as it gets so I’m not going to cover that in my list below. If you’re marketing your home to sell, then nice curb appeal is a given. The last thing you want is buyers to be turned off by a property that hasn’t been maintained. To them, it could also signal warning bells that the inside may not be as well.
Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s get to the fun stuff. If you’re marketing your home to sell, I wouldn’t suggest going above and beyond to break the bank, like putting in a pull or a brand new patio – but there are some simple things you can do, that aren’t overly costly, that will help a lot.
Credit – Better Homes and Gardens
Select Contrasting Colours That Pop!
Grass is obviously green and depending on the colour of your house, try to choose flowers, lawn furniture and accent pillows that will completely pop since they contrast the natural backdrop in your yard. Think bright red, blue or yellow Muskoka chairs or couch cushions. You can even add some complimentary décor such as colourful lanterns, pots, an area rug and more. Just make sure you don’t mismatch any colours as that could be awkward or even turn off some people.
Make the Most of Mulch
As noted above, you want your yard and gardens to stand out. One way to make colours pop in your garden is with black or red mulch! If you are waiting for perennials to pop up, it may also be a good idea to plant some annuals so your gardens look their best.
Create Dedicated Spaces
Depending on the amount of space you have in your yard, you’ll likely have a spot for outdoor dining but you may also have some other areas that you can “dress up”. In addition to the traditional and very comfortable Adirondack chairs, you can also consider setting up patio benches, hammocks, swings or a firepit. These accents can create great spaces for lounging – or entertaining. When you’re marketing your home to sell, you want people to envision how they will enjoy the yard if they decide to buy your house. If you’ve already bought your next home, keep in mind the pieces that you’ll be taking with you. It’s an investment in your future too!
Credit – Backyard Garden Lover
Groom a Garden Path
When you’re marketing your home to sell, just like you’d create space indoors, you also want to create dedicate space and paths for people to walk around outdoors. This could be something as simple as laying some patio stones down to create a path between your deck and a firepit area. This will give your yard a sophisticated and elegant look, especially if it is a path that is curvy and meanders to it’s destination instead of being in a straight line.
Sand and Stain Decks and Railings
If the wood on your deck, railings, patio and/or fencing is looking tired, one very simple and cost effective way to spruce them up is by sealing/staining them. If you’ve stained them in the past, it’s best practice to sand the old stain away first so the new stain sticks to the wood best and lasts longer. If not, it may peal up quickly throughout the season and into the next. One product I can vouch for is called Seal-Once Nano-Polytm Premium Wood Sealer. My husband and I used this on our deck last year and were very happy with the results.
Credit – Designing Idea
Install a Privacy Fence or Lattice
You may love your neighbours, but prospective buyers don’t even know them yet. If you don’t have great privacy in your backyard, consider putting up a privacy screen, fence or lattice. This will give people comfort knowing that unsightly views are blocked, offer some privacy and even give some shelter from the wind on breezy days when you’re marketing your home to sell.
Add a Water Feature
Now, I don’t mean add a pool. If you’re marketing your home to sell, that can be a plus or a minus for some buyers and of course, it’s a costly and unnecessary expenditure of you’re moving. Adding a waterfall in your garden or on your deck can add some very nice ambience however and even give your backyard a spa like feel to it. You want people to see themselves relaxing in their backyard oasis after a long day or week – and this can definitely add to that feeling.
Amp Up the Agriculture
There is really no such thing as too many flowers. In addition to the flowers in your garden, you can consider adding some flowers or plants. If you want to save money on planters, there are plenty of DIY ideas you can consider that look rustic or vintage – like painting old soup cans, using corrugated plastic or spray painting old planters you may have.
Credit – HGTV
Light It Up!
Although most buyers will opt to see your home during daylight hours, that doesn’t mean you can’t install some inexpensive string lights or lanterns on your patio or trees to appear celebratory and fun. You can keep them on for showings that head into the evening hours to give your back yard some extra oomph.
Get Creative
In addition to all of the ideas above to help you with marketing your home, you can try incorporating fabric and vintage finds to create sweeping curtains down the poles of a trellis or pergola. You can use yardage, sheets or other material. You can also look for vintage elements like a rustic chandelier to hang, candles or trailing vines.
None of the ideas noted above are very costly other than perhaps buying some select lounge furniture, but since you can take that with you when you move, it’s a future investment as well as a tool to help you with marketing your home to sell. No matter what you decide to do, just try to put yourself into the head of a prospective buyer and what they may like rather than your own personal preference. Creating an outdoor space that is warm, welcoming, relaxing and fun are all important elements when it comes to marketing your home to sell.
If you’ve got a move planned and need some help, I’d love to assist. I can be reached directly at 647.896.6584, by email at info@serenaholmesrealtor.com or filling out my contact form. For plenty of other great tips, make sure we’re connected on social and you’ve subscribed to my YouTube Channel.
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