Monday, June 1, 2009

Greenwich Real Estate News - Landscaping tips to Sell Your Home

If you are trying to sell your home, you know that much work goes into the process. You have repairs to do, an agent to hire, open houses to hold, plus all the future plans and packing for your new home. When trying to sell your home, the outside of the home matters as much as the inside. If a buyer does not like the outside they may not even bother coming inside. So here are some landscaping tips and advice to help you make your home look even nicer and ready to sell.

Ask your Greenwich real estate agent for advice
Real estate agents have experience with what buyers like and what may turn them off. They are a great resource in helping you to get the right curb appeal to sell your home.

Add some contain plants to decks and patios
These areas are right where a possible buyer will enter and leave your home, so having eye catching beautiful plants are a good idea. They may also lead the buyer to think about possibilities they could do with the home if they bought it.

Buy fresh mulch
This will help your place look inviting because everything will look new and attractive to a possible buyer. Plus, it does not cost that much and is easy to apply.

Add color plants both outside and inside
Adding color will help draw in a buyer’s attention and also makes the house look nice and well maintained. These are all things that will make a buyer feel more comfortable about looking at your home.

Repair faucet links and plumbing problems
If a buyer sees a faucet leaking even outdoors, they may be concerned about plumbing problems and other concerns and may pass up your home, so it is a good idea to make these repairs to not scare buyers off.

When selling your home it is a good idea to care about how the inside of your home looks, but the outside may be what attracts a buyer from the start, so it is important that the outside looks good too. With these landscaping tips, you may be on your way to a sale and on to your brighter new future in no time at all.

Greenwich Real Estate News - Exterior Staging


When you’re trying to sell your home, you know how important staging is. Potential buyers want to see a home’s potential. That means taking out clutter and a lot of personal decorations, such as family snapshots. Buyers need to be able to picture the home as their own.

The same is true of the exterior of your house. A cluttered, unfinished backyard can kill a sale as easily as a cluttered home can. One of the first things that a buyer will see is the front of the home. You can boost your curb appeal considerably by doing a little landscaping. Plant some shrubs or trim the ones already in place. Plant some colorful flowers (annuals are cheap and easy to plant). Make sure that walkways aren’t overgrown and that the grass is cut short. Watering regularly in the weeks before showing your home can assure a green lawn.

Space sells. That’s true not only inside your home, but outside as well. Move lawn furniture to create a more open look if you have a small yard. Clear clutter and cut down weeds. Put any children’s toys into storage, including pool toys and small climbers.

Putting in some new plants can also help you to set the stage for potential buyers. Be sure to label as many plants as you can—buyers will appreciate knowing what plants you are using. Many home and garden stores have blank stake labels that can be slipped into the soil next to the plant. Make sure any weeding and pruning is done before potential buyers arrive. Putting in some mulch can give flowerbeds a very fresh look, adding to the exterior value of your home.

Rent a pressure washer to clean off decks, lawn furniture, patios and walkways. Refinish the deck if needed. It doesn’t take long, but will drastically improve your chances of selling fast. If any lawn furniture is rusty or has chipping paint, scrape it down and apply some new paint. Arrange a seating area, clean off the grill, and even buy a new lawn piece or two, if needed. Your goal is to create an area that looks perfect for barbecues, get-togethers with family and friends, or even just lounging after a long day of work.

Part of staging the exterior involves working on the house itself. Clean any debris from the roof and clean out the gutters. Spray down the siding. Touch up the paint job if needed. Make sure windows are clean from the inside and out. Another thing to consider is how your yard looks from the inside of the house. Look out windows, and make sure that your yard is arranged for maximum impact. This is often the first impression buyers will get of the backyard—make it count.

Staging your yard shouldn’t take more than a weekend, but it can radically change the look of your home. While the front of the home, the curb appeal, is important, don’t overlook the ways that a few hours of work can perk up the rest of your yard as well.