Summer Listing- How Outdoor Staging can Help

Staging describes the way a property is set up to present a home that is available on the market. It is an inexpensive yet effective way to make your home look its best in the eyes of potential buyers. Common staging techniques include minimizing clutter, defining spaces, and creating an ambiance that appeals to a broader audience. These same general rules apply for outdoor spaces as well.

The challenge with staging is knowing how to maximize existing features and personal items to avoid spending a lot of money on the property. Preparing a home to sell will require some spending, but here are three low-cost ways to make your yard look its best in preparation for a home listing.

Clean the Patio or Deck

Your yard should be appealing and inviting. The first step to creating this atmosphere is to pressure wash, stain, or paint the deck or patio. These structures take a beating and collect dirt and grime. The cost of treating the problem is well worth it when it intrigues potential buyers to see more of the yard. In your yard does not have a place for entertaining, wrought iron gazebos or portable trellises are a cost effective solution.  

Landscaping

A room with oversized furniture or too many pieces looks cramped and can stifle buyer interest. The same is true outdoors. Trim back branches, bushes, and vegetation growth surrounding your home. Over time, these can overwhelm the home, minimizing prominent features and negatively affecting the aesthetic appeal of your yard. Ask yourself – is the landscaping proportionately sized for the home? Also, weeding and trim work in flowerbeds provides a crisp, fresh appearance and adds drama to existing plants.

Making Spaces

While some potential buyers may see an empty yard as a blank canvas to use as they please, many will find it uninspiring. Prior to listing or showing a home, create defined spaces in the yard. For example, a few well-placed lawn chairs surrounding a fire pit will appeal to families and those who enjoy entertaining guests. Similarly, setting up a deck or patio with separate areas for casual sitting and entertaining will define the space and make it appear more versatile. This will attract the attention of more buyers.

Added Comforts

Purchasing outdoor rugs, pillows, and furniture cushions are inexpensive ways to add color to your outdoor spaces while also creating clean and fresh patio-style living spaces. Umbrellas are also great for drawing the eyes upward; this balances the yard and makes it appear larger.

Pops of Color

Flowering annuals and potted plants give the space color and makes it feel more inviting. They are especially effective when arranged strategically to draw the eye toward entryways or paths; likewise, they can be used to conceal or minimize unappealing necessities such as vent pipes and drains.

De-clutter

Seldom used items tend to accumulate in outdoor storage spaces such as sheds and garages. Prior to listing your home, take the time to clear these places. Not only will it make the spaces appear larger, but potential buyers will focus more on the yard rather than the things you have packed into it. Visitors should not see anything – including yard tools or personal items – that do not enhance the appeal of the property.

Outdoor staging makes the property look its best and is a great way to help potential buyers visualize living in the home. The best part is that it costs very little to do you! For more ways to make your home look its best and sell quick, contact us. Our agents can help you decide how to best stage your property and where money will be most effectively spent.

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