Ignore the nay-sayers who believe that summer is a bit of a down-time for the property market and take advantage of the warm weather, the sun and house-hunters’ imagination.
It’s slightly true that summer does see a bit of a dip in the numbers of new properties coming onto the market, but you should reframe this as less competition! As well as a bit of blue-sky thinking, you should get busy in your garden as the promise of warm evenings spent around a barbecue can be a major seller.
Here’s how to whet buyers’ appetites for your house and garden.
Mow your lawn
If your lawn’s overgrown, trim it back with a mower and a strimmer. You should also look for any bare patches and re-seed them. Any seriously bald areas can be re-turfed if it’s really bad; you should also trim hedges and borders, as well as do a bit of weeding.
Jet-wash flagstones or paved areas
Winter and spring can leave behind a lot of deposits that you just get used to seeing. You’ll be amazed at how bright and new your patio or decking could look after a good jetting. This also provides the perfect setting for some new garden furniture…
…new garden furniture
Either scrub up your existing set of furniture or invest in some new items and place them in an ideal position. Swing chairs are very popular these days, as are canopies and even an outdoor kitchen. You don’t have to build an entire structure; just have a shiny new barbecue grill in a suitable corner and you’re good to go.
Spruce up your shed
Sheds and other outdoor storage spaces are often neglected, so a new coat of paint, varnish or oil can really bring the appearance back up. You might want to look at any fencing or gates as well, so that everything looks as fresh as possible. It’s a quick fix, but one that really pays off.
Wash your garden toys
Examine swings, playhouses and trampolines for dirt, leaf deposits and so on. If some items are looking distinctly worn and grubby, or the kids have simply outgrown them, then it’s time to retire them. Similarly, if something like a trampoline is taking up a quarter of the garden space, it may need to go as well.
Improve or install your outdoor lighting
Don’t just think of having viewings in the day time, as a balmy summer night can work really well too. You’ll really enhance your garden if there’s some creative solar lighting going on, or an uplighter under your best tree. String fairy lights along the fence, around a bush, line a walkway… Solar lights are fairly cheap nowadays, so you can afford to go a bit wild.
