Similar to a blind date, curb appeal is the first impression a buyer gets about a house. Within seconds of seeing the exterior of your home, a buyer will make a judgment about your property’s value.
If your home is on the market, you’ve no doubt cleaned it and freshened up the interior. But if you don’t devote time to the outside of your home and lawn, you could turn away potential buyers.
Here are three big reasons why you should keep your lawn in peak condition when you’re selling your home — and how to do it.
Curb Appeal
A lawn with too-tall grass or empty dirt patches is far from attractive. This can disappoint buyers before they even walk through the front door.
However, a well-maintained lawn impresses buyers as soon as they drive up to your home. It can help a potential buyer picture themselves as the home owner, and imagine how they will enjoy the yard themselves.
Value of Property
From a buyer’s perspective, a neglected yard could be evidence of a neglected house. An uneven or overgrown lawn may indicate to the buyer that you’ve been unconcerned with the upkeep of the property beyond the front yard.
Buyers may assume that there’s more systems inside the house that could be suffering as well — maybe the plumbing is bad, the roof needs to be replaced, or the wiring is unsafe.
Making sure your lawn is well-manicured will help ease any potential fears about the quality of your property as a whole.
Earn More on the Sale
When a buyer is immediately impressed by the presentation of your home, they’re more likely to view all the home’s offerings positively. This can inspire buyers to put a bid on your home more quickly than they might while viewing homes with less-attractive curb appeal — and encourage them to offer a higher price for your house.
How to Keep Your Lawn Looking Great
Keeping your lawn in top shape takes time and commitment, but the payoff is well worth the effort.
Keep it clean
Remove trash, old furniture, dead plants, toys and any other eyesores that can take away from the appearance of your lawn. Hide old lawn accessories and anything else you want to keep in a closet inside, or rent a storage space.
Hire a professional
A professional landscaping service can maintain your lawn for you, including taking care of weeds, sowing bare patches in your lawn, cutting your grass and even helping you aerate your lawn.
Mow properly
Mowing your lawn correctly is key to maintaining healthy-looking grass. As a rule of thumb, mow every seven to ten days (more often if there’s a lot of rain).
Prioritize maintenance
Water your grass frequently to keep it green. If weeds sprout, pull them as soon as possible. If leaves fall or debris blows into your yard from a storm, clean it up immediately — even if there isn’t a showing of your home scheduled, potential buyers can drive by at any time.
By prioritizing lawn maintenance yourself or hiring a professional landscaper to get the job done, your front lawn can attract top-paying buyers to your home. A beautiful first impression can cut your home’s time on the market significantly, and earn you more bucks in the bid.
