When deciding to sell your home, there’s usually a moment when you admit to yourself that some improvements are needed, or it’ll cost you a pretty dollar when the time comes to negotiate or put your property under the auctioneer’s gavel.
It’s important to focus on your potential return on investment before deciding to undertake any work.
One area that often benefits from TLC is the garden. With some planning, you can rejuvenate your garden for much less money than you think; and make a great impression with prospective buyers.
Walk the neighbourhood
Check out which plants are popular and growing well in your area. If you don’t know their names, take some photos and show them to staff at your favourite garden centre, or use the Google image search function.
Draw up your plan
A rough sketch of your garden will give you the base for planning where to plant. Make a note of the areas that are in shade and full sun. Try to retain the current layout of your garden to minimise your workload and cost.
Visit your garden centre
Because you’re selling your property, it’s not smart to buy mature plants for hundreds of dollars unless you’ve got a major plan in play. Look for plants that are good value and low maintenance.
Be consistent
Try to avoid mixing distinctive styles of garden. You could go down the cottage garden route, which is heavy on water, or select natives and create a drought-tolerant garden. We recommend creating a balanced experience of colour and green shrubbery.
Make it simple
Gardens take a lot of work, even those that are newly planted. So, use lots of mulch and ground cover to keep down weeds. Watering systems are cheap and easy to install, and make a great impression on buyers.