Utilizing your Home for the Sale: Outdoor Living Space
Most backyards have the room to extend a home’s living space with a patio, gazebo, deck, or an outdoor kitchen area. These spaces help to grow square footage, add value to a home, drive owners to enjoy the outdoors, and ultimately make a house more marketable upon selling.
Here are some tips to optimize and stage your outdoor space, and potentially boost your home’s value.
Clean it up.
It’s essential to keep your outdoor space pristine and inviting throughout the selling process. Be sure the grass is mowed and weeds kept in check. Trim the bushes, store away gardening tools like hoses, and add a layer of fresh mulch or rock to your landscape.
Remove anything that adds clutter, wash and sweep your porch and walkways, wipe away cobwebs, and pick up trash. Consider renting a pressure washing machine from your local hardware store to revitalize your walkways and lawn furniture. Touch up cracked or chipped paint where necessary.
Spruce up landscaping.
In the right season, flowers can vastly improve the look of any outdoor space. To create a more welcoming atmosphere on your porch, back patio, or screened-in porch, display some attractive pots and planters of different heights and widths filled with colorful plants.
Put that fire pit on display.
If your home doesn’t have a dedicated fire pit area, it’s time to get one. Fire pits are an inexpensive and fun way to boost the appeal of your home and add value. Purchase a pit, add some logs, and arrange a welcoming group of chairs.
If you have a grill, make it a focal piece of your outdoor space. With the right staging techniques, buyers will imagine themselves hosting a family barbecue and roasting marshmallows by the fire.
White string lights have become a popular way to make outdoor spaces look festive and fun after dark. And while you’re at it, decorate the outdoor areas with candles and lanterns. Little details will help a potential buyer envision themselves in your home and push them to put in an offer.
Showcase your furniture.
Show potential home buyers how your outdoor living space is an extension of your home by effectively arranging comfortable furniture. Make an outdoor sofa or sectional the centerpiece of a swanky lounge area and add a functional coffee table or side table. Use an outdoor rug and a few essential decor pieces to give the area an indoor room vibe.
If you’re working with a small space, use a quaint bistro table and chairs, encouraging buyers to envision the possibilities if they lived there. A small rug, some flowers, and candles can also make the area feel charming and unique. On a porch or deck, a pair of chaise lounges with comfy cushions and vibrant pillows helps create a picturesque place for an evening glass of wine.
Make your home’s outdoor space look fun and inviting, and buyers will be more motivated to make an offer. Our coastal summers are just too amazing to miss out on, so make your deck or patio a place where buyers will want to relax with family and friends!
For more tips on maximizing your home for sale, keep an eye on our blog and social media channels.