By Roger Clemens When trying to sell a home, curb appeal is a significant success factor. Making the outside of your house appear welcoming and attractive to potential buyers is more than just weeding the garden and mowing the lawn.
Landscaping can actually increase the resale value of a property by around 15%, but it’s not just curb appeal that landscaping benefits. Strategically placed plants and trees can also improve the energy efficiency of a property – and if there’s one thing we know about home buyers, it’s that they love an energy-efficient home.
So what landscaping trends are worth the investment?
Create consistency
A home buyer that is looking for a period townhouse probably isn’t expecting a modern or Japanese-themed garden. Likewise, someone interested in a minimalist, modern interior isn’t going to want a fussy and flamboyant outdoor space that requires continuous upkeep.
Creating a theme, or a level of consistency that can be seen through the house and garden, might be worth the investment. Create a cottage-style garden with vegetable patches or large planters may work better and draw on cultural or historical influences that appeal to the type of buyer you’re looking for.
Have a plan
Proper landscaping can really add thousands to your house value, with a lot of the work being pretty easy and affordable. The fact landscaping can increase house value doesn’t mean you should immediately buy up all the plants you see, though. Those who are serious about making a difference to their outdoor space should sit down and create a plan. Take your time to think about what you need to improve the landscaping and gardens and seek inspiration from experts such as arbourlandscapesolutions.co.uk. You can learn exactly what each product can be used for and how it can help boost your garden’s appeal. For instance, planters from this supplier can be used for specimen trees, vegetable gardening, or ornamental planted arrangements. Knowing what you want to do can help when it comes to buying what you need.
The most appealing outdoor spaces typically offer a low-maintenance lawn, year-round planting space, and a seating area so that the new owners can enjoy the garden as much as possible.
Less is more
As open, outdoor space is a hugely desirable house feature, less is often more when it comes to planting. Providing a few shrubs and perennials around the garden is fine, but try not to overshadow the lawn. By keeping the garden simple, you can ensure viewers get the full picture of how much space is on offer. Piling in the plants and trees can make the garden seem much smaller and reduce its appeal.
Create seasonal balance
As the average house sale can take several months, it would be silly to plan your garden with a single point in time in mind. While potential buyers might view the house in summer while flowers are in bloom and wildlife is flourishing, by the time they move in, everything will be dead and drab.
Choosing evergreen plants can help provide seasonal balance and leave the garden looking great all year round, with very little maintenance. That gives buyers the option to move straight in or make their own mark on the space.
These simple landscaping tips can really add a more desirable feel to your home and its outdoor space. For larger projects that will make a bigger difference to the house value, you can also try adding a patio, alfresco kitchen, or firepit.
Lorenzo Billie