10 ways to make your outside space sell your home

When you’re trying to sell your house, it’s easy to forget it’s not just the interior you need to get ship-shape. A garden is one of the top three features buyers look for in a new home, adding as much as 20 percent to the value of a property.

Buyers look for gardens

Many buyers will not even consider viewing a property that doesn’t have outside space – a trend that’s become more common amongst buyers since the pandemic and not going anywhere anytime soon.

Not any old garden will do

If a potential buyer views your property because it has the valued outside space they want, it must not scream ‘maintenance needed’! In the same way as you fix up your interior, you must pay the same attention to the garden – and we don’t just mean cutting the grass, although this is also extremely important!

Whilst we know it can be hard to make a garden look inviting in the colder months, these simple fixes will ensure your outdoors looks as appealing as possible, all year round.

Here are our 10 tips for ensuring your outside space doesn’t put buyers off, and successfully sells your home.

1. Treat fences, sheds and summerhouses

You wouldn’t think of inviting viewings to your home with a peeling wall so apply the same principle to the painted areas of your garden, which are likely to be the timber structures of fences, sheds and summerhouses. A fresh treatment not only looks more attractive than fading, peeling wood, it gives the impression of a cared-for space that buyers can imagine themselves being in and enjoying.

2. Make your front door look inviting

It’s true, an inviting looking entrance will do the immediate work of making a potential buyer fall in love with your property. Your front door must look solid and secure, as well as contemporary and fashionable, fitting in with the style of the property.

You can replace hardware, give a coat of paint and ensure the frame and any glass are clean and well-kept, as well as ensure any overhead, or nearby lighting is in working order. A beautiful hanging basket or lantern next to the door also adds instant appeal.

The jury is out on what colour door is most likely to sell a house, and while blue is cited as the colour for selling a coastal property, think carefully before replacing your door in an outlandish colour. Heritage colours are also popular, and doors that look as if they’ve been ‘hand-crafted’, but above all, your front door must fit in with the style of the house, be study, clean and smart.

3. Clear the driveway of weeds and moss

A derelict looking driveway to walk along before entering your home for a viewing, means your interior is going to have to work harder to undo a bad impression. Banish any jungle-style driveway by clearing away the weeds and moss.

If the weed-clearing job is a big one you could spray the whole area with weedkiller in plenty of time for it to be able to take effect before allowing viewings.

If your driveway is still on the gritty side after clearing, consider giving it a jet wash to really brighten it up and make smart again.

4. Repair the patio

Don’t we all love a nice patio? Effectively the outdoor room of a house, where we can relax and enjoy fresh air, sunshine and social time. But not if there are broken slabs and crumbling mortar, posing a potential safety hazard as well as being another thing your potential buyer will note needs repairing.

If you’re lucky enough to have a patio, make sure it’s doing the best job it can of selling your home by ensuring it is fully repaired, smooth and level, free of any slimy green build-up. Consider feature work of natural stone, or attractive finishes to add further appeal, as well as flower pots, comfortable seating or a fashionable firepit.

5. Repair and treat the decking

Decking is one of the features of outside space that can look fabulous when in good condition, and the exact opposite when not. Rotten, flaky decking is worse than having no decking at all!

Also, be aware, that if you decide to replace decking, you will need to check planning permission obligations, particularly where it is raised 30 centimetres above the ground.

Above all, make sure your decking is solid and clean, with no rotten or flaking boards, and treated in a neutral tone.

6. Fix or replace broken fence panels

Fencing is expensive and there’s a rule of thumb that says if the damaged parts are less than 30 percent of the whole fence, you may get away with spot repairs. If this is your route, you’ll need to ensure it all ends up the same colour and doesn’t ‘look’ repaired.

Particularly if the fence is at the back of the house, it may be more cost-effective to repair or replace broken panels. Front garden fencing is of course more important for curb appeal, and should be a priority. But don’t forget that any fencing, front or back, also provides privacy and a feeling of security, other important items likely to be high on your buyer’s list.

7. Flower-power pots and planters

Attractive flower pots and planters do wonders for livening up the outside space and making it inviting and interesting. Ensure your pots are packing the most powerful punch they can for viewers by clearing them of weeds and dead plants, and filling them with bright seasonal colours.

8. Safety check any outside stairs leading to the house

There should be no concerns over safety with outside stairs. If there’s a need to watch footing, it will linger in a buyer’s mind well after the viewing and possibly be one of the reasons they don’t buy your house. Fix loose areas, ensuring repairs don’t end up uneven. If in doubt seek professional repair, and if they are particularly steep consider safety handrails.

9. Clean and fix gutters and downpipes

Misaligned, sagging or blocked gutters and downpipes can cause water to mark or damage your home, with the evidence clearly seen in patchy walls and even damp and mould inside, which will all do a quick job of putting your viewer off.

Ensure all gutters and downpipes are clean and bright, clearing doubts of any water damage waiting to be discovered.

10. Add outside lighting

Many viewings take place in the evening and night, but even if you have viewings in the daytime, the chances are, potential buyers will have driven by your house a few times, just to look. Outdoor lights add instant appeal and homeliness, making the approach inviting and safe, as well as allowing people to see the garden. Help your potential buyer imagine the sparkly-lit garden parties they have by setting the scene.

Good luck making the best of your outside space. All of the above are tried and tested tips to increase your chances of selling, and will revamp and improve your outside space, inspiring buyers that your home can be their new perfect place.

Until next time