If you’re looking around your house for small boosts that can add up to a big impact on resale value, it’s worth evaluating your yard. When selling your home, you may think that “what’s inside is what counts,” but first impressions matter a lot to homebuyers. Curb appeal is a big part of how people start the process of ‘falling in love’ with a house. While they will care about the facts and stats, they will also be looking for a feeling.
When they see a beautifully maintained yard, buyers are put in the right mindset: they see a home where attention to detail matters. When they see a scruffier look to the yard, they may assume the best, but they may also enter the home with doubts. This is why small updates to the yard can have such a positive impact on the resale value by keeping buyers interested enough to learn more about your property.
Low Hanging Fruit: Buy and Apply That Mulch!
Getting to the nursery or home improvement store, talking through the plants in your beds, and purchasing the right amount and kind of mulch doesn’t take much time or all that much money. Adding that mulch makes beds look clean-cut and well tended, adding a uniformity to any yard’s look. Spreading mulch, however, has benefits that go much farther than just a boosted curb appeal. Your perennials are more likely to make it through cold snaps if they have that additional insulation. On the other hand, the mulch also discourages weeds, which can make even the nicest beds look bad.
Ongoing Work: Keep the Yard Clear of Leaves
If you’re not sure when in the fall you’ll be listing your property, make sure a family member or a raking service is out there removing leaves. The leaves, if left to get too thick, can prevent drainage in the yard. At the same time, your yard needs light and air in order to look its best even in the fall. Getting those leaves removed well is one of the strongest first steps to keeping your home looking great when someone first pulls up to tour it. There are some contexts where mulching your leaves into the grass will be the healthiest option long-term, but a lot of real estate agents will recommend a good raking or leaf blowing right before open houses and tours.
Worried About the Foundation? Regrade to Direct Water Flow
Have you ever noticed that, during rain storms, water pools near your home and doesn’t naturally flow away from the house? A sturdy foundation is built to withstand water, but foundations settle in the earth in imperceptible ways that may create the tiniest of cracks. These cracks may not matter much at first, but if water gets into them and goes through freezing and thawing cycles, these cracks can expand, letting water into the basement or other areas of the house. One of the first things a house inspector will be looking for is a strong foundation, since foundation repair is expensive. If you haven’t addressed pooling water near the foundation, one part of the solution is actually landscaping related. A good landscaping team can help re-grade your yard so that water flows away from the foundation during heavy rain. This keeps your foundation drier for longer, helping to preserve it and inspire confidence in buyers.
Even small improvements to the look and health of your landscaping can be key to bringing in a variety of interested buyers, according to the top real estate agents in the US. Take the time to reap those benefits, especially if you’re trying to get as many competitive offers as possible!
