If you are moving to sell your house sometime in the near future, it is important to fix up the place so you can command a good offer. In her contribution to the Landscaping Network, Genevieve Schmidt writes:
“A good first impression can make a world of difference when you’re selling your home. By upgrading your curb appeal, you have a chance to influence how potential buyers feel about your home before they even step inside.
While it’s important to balance the money you spend on improvements with a realistic idea of what you can recoup, many improvements to your landscaping can cost little, compared to the benefits of increased home value and a faster sale.
Front yard landscaping should be colourful and attractive. But a garden that reads “high-maintenance” can scare people away, so it’s important to keep landscaping neat and uncluttered.”
The prospect of houses changing hands fast may be true for residents of Hamilton, ON. In its second quarter Market Outlook for 2014, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp noted that sellers’ market conditions in the Hamilton Census Metropolitan Area are expected to remain for the rest of the year before sales of existing houses pick up further in 2015. If you are taking your time with selling the house, enlist professionals at landscaping in Hamilton like the boys at Green Collar to give the yard a better appearance.
Start by taking pictures of the entire property from a number of angles and study them closely. If you’ve lived in the house for years but have gradually become disillusioned with how the gardens looked, this can be your chance to fix them with help from a landscape expert. Schmidt notes that the analysis may reveal if, say, a line of pots in one location turns out to be an eyesore.
Borders between plant beds and the grass may be hard to define in some cases. According to Schmidt, you can break the monotony of clean edges by using sweeping curves on the ground and identifying demarcation lines with beds of mulch. You can also add new plants.
An unkempt appearance for the plants will make potential buyers think twice about an offer. For instance, snip the branches of plants that are creeping up the walls of the house as they can compromise the paint. Some plants in the garden should be pruned up to six inches off the ground; however, you must cut off larger branches if they block walkways or prevent the passage of natural light through the window.
Everything deserves a fresh start, even houses for resale. Hamilton landscaping services like those of Green Collar are key to that effort.
(Source: Front Yard Curb Appeal Ideas for Selling Your Home, Landscaping Network)