Bringing the Inside Outside
Making the most of your exterior space could be the secret to selling your property for more money. Naturally, having the inside home staged or styled by a professional real estate styling company is a ‘no-brainer’. Selling agents swear by the benefits of styling, but you don’t have to stop there. Your outdoor living areas can spark the imagination of the buyers even more if they are spruced up and ready to be lived in.
In today’s market, outdoor living areas are of more importance to buyers than ever before. If you have just a deck or a courtyard, you should capitalise on these features as you prepare your home for sale. Ask your home stylist about other small investments you can make that will boost your sale price and help your home to sell faster.
Here are a few suggestions:
• Make sure your deck and outbuildings look fresh and clean. Pressure wash the exterior if necessary.and restain or repaint if necessary to give them a bright new face.
• If your deck or patio has a mish-mash collection of planters and pots, repaint them with some of the newer spray-paints that look like stone. This is also a place where a pop of colour can help, but don’t overwhelm the space with too much intensity. Remember, the outside living areas are meant to be for relaxation.
• If your patio furniture is old or bedraggled, replace it or have your stylist bring in new, upscale pieces. This space is an extension of your indoor living space so it’s a good idea if you talk this over with your stylist first.
• If you have a pool, be aware that this area should sparkle like all the other focal points in your house. Any problems or eyesores here will be magnified in the buyer’s eyes. With your real estate styling professional, consider staining the concrete surround with a trendy new finish. If the pool has any mechanical problems whatsoever, call in the pool experts. You want this feature to work perfectly and to invite buyers to dive right in.
• You may be lucky enough to own an outside kitchen area. If you do, make sure it looks sensational – clean and ready for a party. If you do not, ask your stylist how you can arrange your courtyard or deck to mimic the real thing. Buyers are always scouting for outside features that will enlarge and intensify the indoor living spaces.
• If your outdoor hardscape includes fencing, be sure it is looking spiffy as well. If it leans, straighten it. If it’s looking sad or faded, a new coat of paint or stain is essential. Give your outdoor spaces as much attention as you do the indoor ones. If you don’t have a fence, consider installing one. It’s one of those things that will pay off in the end. Privacy is important to prospective buyers.
• The things that grow in your backyard – and your front yard – need to be in top shape. Call in a company to green-up your lawn if it’s looking patchy or otherwise unhealthy. Edge your lawn carefully around walkways or other hard surfaces to make it look crisp and well maintained.
Plants, flowers, shrubs, and trees also should look healthy and bright. Remember always that prospective buyers are constantly making notes in their minds about what needs work and how they may otherwise discount the asking price.
• Finally, as you have surely done in the front of your house, make sure all window glass sparkles. Clean the gutters and erase any telltale signs of gutter leaks or rust, for example, with one of the products specially formulated for this task. Make the back side of your house look as good as the front.
When you stage your home for sale with the help of a https://www.urbanchic.net.au/real-estate-staging/real estate styling professional, your thoughtful consideration of your outdoor spaces will pay off if you make those spaces inviting and restful. Every useable entertaining space you provide outside extends the value of your home. Investing in a few updates and engaging in some deferred maintenance will give the prospective buyer yet another reason to fall in love with your home. Just as staging the rest of your house helps boost your bottom line, the work of styling the backyard calls for the help of a professional who knows the real estate market and what buyers want.