Ray White Canberra

Your garden’s impact on your sale price THE LAWN A lawn can add 0.2% of value for every percentage of ground it covers. However, not all lawns are created equal. In the same way that you wouldn’t open your home to potential buyers with last night’s dirty dishes still in the sink, gardens need to be well looked after to contribute favourably to the overall impression of your property. With that mindset, could mowing the lawn become a joy rather than a chore? SOCIAL SPACES Gone are the days when gardens were viewed as a place for storage, or somewhere for the kids to play without disturbing you. Increasingly, they’re an extension of the house, with outdoor spaces important for entertaining and socialising. Your garden’s usability doesn’t have to end when the sun goes down. The addition of outdoor lighting can make the garden a welcoming spot for evening relaxation, and with after-hours viewing increasingly common, this can create a good impression for would-be buyers. With the potential to add 12.4% cent to the value of your property, it might be time to wheel out the garden furniture and get those lights in! PRIVACY Hedges and trees give a property a natural feeling of privacy and contribute to its overall value in the eyes of buyers. Trees have been shown to add anywhere from 3.5 to 4.5% to the value of the property, and hedges 3.6 to 3.9%. Even seemingly mundane additions such as fences lend a feeling of security which is very desirable. As these features are likely to be among the first things a potential buyer sees when approaching your property, it’s important that they’re kept in good shape through regular maintenance. MORE TIPS There is no one-size-fits- all approach to adding value to your property through your garden, but a few general tips that might help you plan a garden renovation include: • Once you know what sells well in your area, make a list of what your property ismissing. • Have a goal in mind for the key thing you want to achieve: child friendly, super low maintenance, seclusion, outdoor room etc. • Come up with a realistic budget for your modifications, and stick to it. • Keep things in moderation – extravagant features may make your property too niche, as well as adding needless cost. Did you know a poorly maintained garden can reduce a property’s value by anything between 5 and 15%? Here are some of the best-performing garden features which could make a substantial difference to the price of your home. Source: excerpt fromwww.raywhite.com