We’re continuing our Curb Appeal 101 series today, providing some additional tips on how to sell a home via strong, positive first impressions.
We previously wrote about the need for a well-maintained front lawn and a welcoming entryway. Today, we head to the other side of the house with a few tips on ensuring the backyard area looks its best.
You may wonder if the backyard is all that important…if it really falls under the category of curb appeal. Honestly, it’s probably not quite as urgent as the front of your home, which is what really determines first impressions. With that said, any buyer is going to want to see the entirety of your property, and a backyard area that’s messy or overgrown could be a turnoff.
As such, do the front of your home first! Once you have that under control, though, attentiveness to the backyard can really help you get the place sold.
Tips for Cleaning Up Your Backyard
Here are some home selling tips, focused on the backyard area.
- Start by simply cleaning it up. Things you’ll want to clean up include dead tree branches, toys/lawn and garden equipment, and anything else that makes your backyard look unkempt.
- Do you have pets who relieve themselves outdoors? Keep in mind that buyers won’t be too keen on navigating a field of doggy doo. If you can clean up before a showing, that’s really ideal.
- Freshen up your backyard flower beds. Add some new wood chips or mulch, pull weeds, and if you don’t have much growing, get some seasonally-appropriate, beautifully colored flowers. A little flash of color can help you get the place sold!
- Do you have a rear patio area? Keep it clean and uncluttered. Get rid of any furniture that’s rusty or in poor repair. And if you need to repaint or stain the woodwork, that can be a smart investment.
- Finally, if you have a fenced backyard, take some time to inspect it and patch up any areas that are in disrepair. You can be sure that your buyers will look closely at the fence, and you don’t want to give them any cause for concern.
Those are our house selling tips for backyard perfection. In our next post, we’ll wrap up our Curb Appeal 101 series with some concluding thoughts on painting, pressure washing, etc.
As always, we invite you to get independent home selling data via a FREE SOLD.com report. Request yours today and learn how to sell a home as efficiently as possible!
