Are you getting ready to sell your home in the summer? Do you want to add an extra selling point?
Staging your backyard is just as important as staging the inside of your home. Summer is the perfect time to show off your home’s outdoor living space.
We got inspired by this post and prepared a beginner’s guide to stage your backyard that will help you to make sure your backyard is up to par and ready to sell.
Landscaping
Good landscaping can make all the difference.
No prospective buyer wants to walk outside to see a mess they will need to clean up! Well maintained and appealing landscaping will help showcase your yard’s potential. Here are a few simple updates you can use to enhance your yard appeal.
First, when you are getting ready to put your house on the market, fill your beds with bright, fresh plants. Planting bursts of color will instantly add cheer to your backyard that buyers will respond to. Begonias might be a good choice because of their range of colors and low maintenance.
Make sure that you also re-mulch your beds after adding pops of color. Spare no expense when choosing your mulch– it really makes a difference! Adding fresh mulch instantly enhances the look of the beds and buyers will appreciate that you took on this yardwork for them!
For an added finish, edge your newly planted beds. Edging your beds is a quick and easy way to add an inexpensive finishing touch to your garden.
You could also choose to edge your entire yard by adding a decorative stone or curbing blocks. Taking this step will not only add a clean finishing touch but will also keep unwanted plants and weeds from creeping into your garden.
Next, spruce up your greenery! Here are the steps to start with:
- Clean it up
- Trim those overgrown shrubs
- Mow and fertilize the lawn
Note that buyers can be picky about the specific plants in their yards. Instead of wasting time and money to add trees and shrubs, just make sure the ones you have to look perfect. People tend to be selective about their “forever” plants, so don’t try to make the decision for them. They might just rip it out!
If you need to add more greenery to your space, try adding some large potted plants around your outdoor living space. Fill them with low-maintenance, lush options like ferns or grasses. If you want to get creative, try something like creating a fairy garden or adding focal pieces like a ladder planter. The best part about adding greenery with potted plants is that you can take them with you when you move!
Photo by Randy Fath on Unsplash
Clean up/Repairs
Next, you have to evaluate and repair any eyesores in your yard. You don’t want something like cracks in your sidewalk or a dirty patio to distract buyers from the rest of the space.
Repairing cracks or loose parts of your patio, sidewalk, or driveway will immediately enhance the look of your yard. Cracks like these aren’t just ugly, they can be a dealbreaker. Imagine if a buyer tripped on a raised part of your sidewalk– that experience would be the only part of the house they remembered.
Fixing walkways or patios will probably require the most planning, so it’s best to get this done a few weeks before you have your first showing. Hiring a paving company can be expensive. If you want to do it yourself, check out the internet for various guides to this cheaper alternative fix.
Rundown fencing is a huge potential negative for home buyers. Homebuyers don’t want to look at their new backyard and only notice the dilapidated fence they will have to repair! Luckily, you don’t have to replace your fence entirely to fix this problem. You just have to help your buyer’s imagination along with a quick painting or staining.
If you don’t have time or money for a total fence overhaul, give your fence a quick makeover with a few creative ideas like adding hanging planters or painting a section with a bright color. These design ideas are easy, and quick to give your fence a facelift. Repairing, painting, or staining fencing can quickly up your outdoor style game!
The final step in sprucing up your patio and fence is giving them a good cleaning. The best way to quickly make your patio or fence look new again is with a power washer. You can rent these from most home improvement stores. Try power washing your house siding as well for a quick clean up.
Remove personal items
During the staging process, it is usually recommended that you hide personal items inside your home so that buyers have no trouble picturing their family in the house. It is equally important to remove personal items from your outdoor space
If possible, make sure to remove or hide things like kid’s toys, playsets, dog houses, or sandboxes. If you plan to sell something like play equipment or a treehouse with your home, make sure that it is in good condition. Give it a fresh coat of paint if it needs it.
Just like you hide unappealing features inside your home (make sure the toilet lid is down!), you should also try to hide the outside eyesores like air conditioners, trash cans, and all your kids’ toys.
Create a focal point
If you have any energy left after completing all of the manual labor, think about adding or enhancing a focal point in your backyard:
- Add a fire pit with a seating area
- Spruce up your current patio
- Maybe even add a built-in grill
- Gazebos can be a great addition, too
If you need some inspiration, check out various gazebo reviews. Buyers will look at these features and immediately begin picturing their time enjoying them. This will enhance their connection with your home and get it sold faster.
Photo by Randy Fath on Unsplash
Lighting
Lighting around these areas is extremely important: Too harsh and you feel like you are on display; not enough and you can’t enjoy the evenings there.
Adding lighting is also an extremely easy way to make a huge difference in your outdoor space. Unfortunately, installing or updating anything electrical outdoors can be intimidating. What if something goes wrong? If you need a few pointers before installing outdoor lighting, check out The Money Pit’s blog for a few key tips in the Beginner’s Guide to Outdoor Lighting:
Safety First
Make sure you have appropriate outdoor electrical outlets and use weatherproof fixtures. Also. be careful using when setting up candles– these can lead to disaster in a long, dry summer!
Add Task Lighting
Just like inside your home, it is important to illuminate areas where you will be completing a task. For example, you would definitely want to add some light fixtures around your new grilling feature– you don’t want those burgers cooking too long!
Create some Magic
Outdoor lighting can give your whole yard a different feel when the sun goes down.
While outdoor lighting is functional, it can also add some romance, whimsy, and excitement. You can add string lighting with funky bulbs draped around your eating area. Maybe wrap some twinkle lights around your trees. Have fun with it! Prospective buyers will be enchanted when they see the home at night and you can enjoy your summer nights before you start your new chapter.
Final words
Staging your backyard to sell your home seems like a large undertaking that can really be accomplished in a few quick steps. Updating your landscaping, cleaning up repairs, and removing your personal items, and creating a magical focal point will get your backyard ready to sell. You will be amazed and the difference a few tweaks can make– bring on the buyers!
I hope you liked our post; let us know what you think in the comments!