Property Agency

Is your garden ready for the market?

5 March 2021

When putting your house on the market it’s important to see your home through the eyes of the viewer.

Our recent podcast explored what you can do to make sure your house is ready for the market, but what about the outside space?

Our Barnard Castle Branch Manager, Catherine Greaves has put together some tips to help make sure your garden is restored to its former glory after the winter months.

• Storage, storage, storage: Prospective buyers like to see what storage is on offer when they make a visit so make sure any sheds or garages are tidy and not overly full. If they are looking a bit tired, give them a lick of varnish or paint. If your garden has fenced boundaries, give them a paint over too.
• Garages are important: If you have one, give it the once-over and make sure that all the internal lighting works and that doors open and close properly. If you have a car that fits in your garage, it is a good idea to put it in, that way people can see that a car clearly fits.
• Mow the lawn: Make sure it is freshly cut once it starts growing again! Also, trim the hedges and tidy up the borders. At this time of year, it is a good idea to buy a few pots and fill them with seasonal flowers to add a bit of colour. Pots can of course be taken with you when you move into your new home.
• Spruce things up: If you have any redundant areas in your garden, you can soon improve the appearance by levelling out and then covering with bark or gravel. You can then decorate with some colourful planters or pots.
• Bins: Bins are not particularly pretty! If you have space, try, and hide them away. Alternatively, put them in your garden shed or garage so that they cannot be seen.
• Dress it up: If you have space for garden furniture, set it up and if the weather is good, you can ‘dress’ the table with a bottle of wine, a few glasses, some candles, and some cushions.
• Jet wash your paved patios: It is not the best job, but it really does brighten up the garden. If you have decking, it is a good idea to give it a jet wash off too as it can become a bit slippery over winter.