With winter (almost) firmly behind us, we’re quickly heading into the peak annual season for buying and selling properties. And if you're planning how to sell your home, you'll likely be keen to get your property in the best shape possible before putting it on the market.
As well as this, spring is a natural time to want to revamp our living spaces – and in particular, our gardens, where we start spending more time as the sun comes out. And interestingly, there’s one spring cleaning task that actually involves your garden, that could boost your property’s value hugely when it comes to selling,
In fact, experts estimate that it could increase the value of your home by almost £60,000 – so what is it?
The spring task that could boost your home’s value
According to property manager at We Buy Any Home, Terry Fisher, one of the best things you can do this spring to give your property a boost for potential buyers, is to tidy up your garden as much as possible. He estimates it could boost the value of your home by up to £58,000 (depending on your property's original value, of course).
'Properties with gardens are always highly desirable, but they’re especially popular in the spring. But while gardens are a big selling point, they can also put buyers off if they’re a mess.'
'70% of buyers would pay more for a property with outdoor green space, and a nicely presented, landscaped garden can add 20% to your property value.'
And estate agents firmly agree, after analysing what it is that buyers want come spring-time. 'The value of a tidy garden is undeniable when it comes to the sale of a property,' adds Matt Johnson, Area Director at Estate Agents Johns & Co. 'In fact, a well-kept garden can boost a property's value by as much as 10-15%.'
'This makes a garden a wise investment for any homeowner, whether you are looking to sell your property soon or not.'
Morris Hankinson, Director of Hopes Grove Nurseries also revealed that the care a tidy garden (rather than just a garden at all) suggests to potential buyers is worth its weight in gold.
'A well-maintained, neat garden is extremely valuable, because it indicates a high level of care and attention given to the entire property. Plus, the less maintenance that needs to be done to a property, including its garden, the more potential buyers are likely to pay for it.'
How exactly can you achieve this then?
The easiest ways to tidy up your garden for the biggest impact
While there are lots of easy garden ideas, or budget garden ideas you can try, Morris explained that getting your lawn in order, and "keeping the edges of the lawn neatly trimmed and delineated" is one of the most simple tasks, but one that will really appeal to potential buyers.
If you're looking to beat out the competition, Morris advises that 'a tidy garden with healthy plants, clean paths, and trimmed hedges can also differentiate your property from other homes on the market.'
Other things you can do to instantly improve the look of your outside space include fixing anything broken, such as fencing, and cutting back unruly trees, hedges, or foliage. Terry from We Buy Any Home also explained that as well as planting flowers and putting up hanging baskets, which are a great way to add colour without taking up much room, cleaning your patios and cleaning decking are also easy ways make your garden look more presentable.
Morris from Hopes Grove Nurseries also suggested that – if you have a little more time and energy to spend on maximising your garden for sale – it’s well worth planting evergreen plants and flowers.
'They are brilliant all-rounders. These kerbside garden plants look immaculate and tidy with some colour 12 months of the year, and they are tough, easy and problem free, which makes them perfect for selling a house.'
