Any real estate agent will tell you – second to location is curb appeal to the importance of selling your home. Yet many sellers overlook or don’t focus enough on the outside of their home, instead spending their time making the inside look great. But prospective buyers may not even want to go inside if they are not impressed by the outside. And keep this in mind: According to experts, an attractive, well-maintained landscape can add about 10% to the value of your home.
So about a month before putting your house on the market, get to work on sprucing up your yard. Here are some landscaping tips if you’re planning to sell your home in Johnson County this summer:
- Water that grass! If you do nothing else, please keep your lawn from frying this summer. If you have a sprinkler system, use it! If not, water your grass the old-fashioned way. Grass turned brown and crunchy from the brutal summer heat is a sure way to turn buyers off from the get-go.
- Fill those outdoor containers. If you have large containers, use them to your advantage. Fill them with large tropical plants or colorful flowers and place them at entry points where house hunters will enter and exit your home.
- Refresh your mulch. Mulch needs constant replacement because it tends to fade. So apply a new layer before planning to sell your home in Johnson County. It’s cheap, easy to apply and will really make your landscaping pop.
- Trim or replace overgrown or dead trees, bushes and plants. Dead branches or brown leaves are not attractive. Prune unsightly trees and bushes any time of the year, and definitely before putting your home up for sale. Replace any plants that didn’t make it through the long winter.
- Clean your water features. If you have a pond or fountain, they can be a double-edged sword. While they can create additional interest for a potential buyer, if they are not in good shape, they can be seen as an additional burden or work. Get rid of any visible algae, make sure the water flows without obstacles like dead leaves, and ensure the water is crystal clear.
- Power wash where needed. Make dirty, dark surfaces look new again by power washing your brick and vinyl siding, decks and porches, fencing and pavement.
If you want to sell your home in Johnson County this summer, you need to take your landscaping into consideration and make it more attractive and inviting to potential homebuyers. You only get one chance at first impressions, and so does your home!
For more expert tips, visit www.teamre.com. We are your local team of real estate experts, ready to help you sell your home in Johnson County! Call us today – 913.451.5711 – and find out why we are the No. 1 real estate team in Kansas and the No. 9 real estate team nationally, according to the Wall Street Journal.