Knowing what to splurge on – and what to skip – before you put your house on the market can feel a little overwhelming. Do you really need all-new siding on the exterior of your house? Is that hole in the hardwood flooring really a deal breaker? Should you invest in home staging?
One of the most common questions we hear from sellers is, “Should I hire a landscaper before listing my house?”
The answer, as you might guess, is complicated. Here are a few ways to tell that hiring a landscaper will give you more than enough ROI to make the investment worth it.
Is Your Yard Overgrown or Unusable As-Is?
Think of your yard, however small, as an extension of your home. You wouldn’t decorate and stage every square foot of the inside of your house then leave the master bedroom in disarray, would you? If your yard is an eyesore, it’s worth spending some time and money to fix. Remember that your home only gets one chance to make a first impression, and buyers aren’t really keen on doing work themselves if they don’t have to. An overgrown or unusable yard could just be the straw that broke the camel’s back if they’re already on the fence about your house.
Is Your Yard a Detractor Rather Than a Value-Add?
Ask yourself: Is my yard adding to the appeal of my home or taking from it? If it’s the latter, it’s at least worth the effort to get your yard to “neutral” so it won’t be actively hindering the home sale process. What might make a yard a detrimental feature of your house? Too much shade, precariously perched or encroaching trees, obvious problems like sinkholes or badly-angled drainage slopes, or a simple lack of care. Don’t expect buyers to be able to look past your yard. They won’t.
Is My Yard on the Verge of Being Great?
We’ve seen it – a fantastic yard can close a home sale. For most owners, it’s not a question of reviving an awful yard but simply of bringing out the best in an already-fine property. A professional landscaper is less expensive than you think and they know exactly how to showcase your home’s exterior. They can suggest colorful flowers for the particular time of year you’re selling, help you weed and prune, and mostly just provide an objective opinion when you can’t tell what’s working and what’s not.
Do the Neighbors’ Yards All Put Mine to Shame?
In some cases, it’s worth keeping up with the Joneses. Your yard is the only part of your house that’s truly visible from the street. Buyers are absolutely going to notice if your neighbors’ yards all look Southern Living-ready and yours looks, well, blah. To help your house make an impact – and in fact, stand out if there are other homes for sale in your neighborhood – you need to do everything you can to give it an edge. A qualified landscaper can help.
Landscaping services run as far and wide as you’d imagine. A good landscaper will keep your budget and timeline in mind and make actionable suggestions to improve your home’s curb appeal. Talk to your stager about which landscaping companies they work with on a regular basis for the inside scoop.
Is your home ready to hit the market?
Call Creative Home Stagers today for your free home staging quote.
704-315-5802