LIVE24SEVEN // Property & Interiors P ROP E R T Y ADV I C E - JONATHAN HANDFORD Pruned to
Potential property buyers form their first impression of a home from its curb appeal, so your front garden is an important factor. Jonathan Handford from Fine & Country Leamington Spa discusses gardens that sell.
F perfection
oversowing it – this will help fill damaged or thinned areas, improve the lawn colour and reduce weed and moss invasion, leaving your lawns lush and green.
Weeding and mulching your flower beds also gives your garden a low- maintenance appearance and the colour enhances the contrast of the surrounding plants, making everything pop. Pruning can be a wise move to shape unsightly or overgrown trees and shrubs. But don’t get carried away; you don’t want your garden to look bare. Any water features in the garden may also need tending. Scrub away any visible algae, remove leaves and clean filters so the water is clear. A mucky water feature can be an instant turnoff.
An attractive and well-maintained property landscape can add as much as 20% to the value of your home, yet outdoor landscaping can be overlooked when planning to sell. Curb appeal often forms a potential buyer’s first impression of your property and your garden can also help you make a sale. This makes some basic landscaping a win–win proposition.
The ideal time to consider your garden is around a month before you put your house on the market. Too soon and it’ll need another tidy, too late and it’ll look like it’s a quick fix. As a starting point, mow and edge your lawns to make your garden look neat. This also gives the impression of lower maintenance, which is a popular selling point. Creating an edge is easy – just use a spade to cut a neat separation between your lawn and the garden bed, path or fence. For a longer lasting option, a simple physical barrier can be created from timber, steel, brick or stone.
A lush lawn can make any home sparkle. If your lawn is looking a bit patchy or off-colour, consider
/ 108
Seasonal colour can add appeal to your garden, and container plants filled with clipped topiary or bright flowering annuals or perennials can give the garden an immediate facelift. Potted plants add considerable interest to patios and doorways in particular, where potential buyers enter and exit the house. If you already have container plants in place, give the pots a wipe over and clip away any dead leaves or bulbs to enhance the appeal.
It’s also worth putting some thought into whether plants can solve any property shortfalls, such as overlooking neighbours or busy roads nearby. Hedging or a row of trees can block noise and provide privacy and even if the plants are not mature, you can point out the future benefit to buyers.
If your property has extensive paved surfaces, it may be worth buying or renting a power washer. With limited time or effort, you can make grimy surfaces look new. Power washers also do a great job of cleaning fences and bricks.
Finally, if you have the chance, water the garden half an hour or so before a showing. The water reduces the glare of paved surfaces and sends the message that your garden is well-maintained.
These are all relatively quick fixes that can help your garden shine, but don’t go overboard – while buyers like having outdoor space, unless they’re keen gardeners, they may not appreciate a high-maintenance garden. Before you go all out on hiring a landscape gardener and designing an ornate garden, remember that people sometimes prefer a blank canvas. A neat, clear space can fire a buyer’s imagination.
FINE & COUNTRY For advice on selling or buying property, please contact Fine & Country Leamington Spa on 01926 455950 or vist
www. f ineandcount r y. com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148
