We often hear that having great ‘kerb appeal’ will help you sell a house. It’s right up there with brewing fresh coffee and baking bread for attracting a good sale. But what about if you let your property? Does it still make a difference, and what should you consider when it comes to your garden and outdoor space?
All work and no play?
If you’re trying to attract a professional tenant then your garden might well be a deciding factor. With weekend entertaining and relaxing after a tough week, an enticing balcony, patio or sunny garden could be the winning trick up your sleeve.
Most professionals will want a space to relax in, and somewhere ideal for a G&T after work, or suitable for a BBQ with friends, will be a real asset to your property.
Will they be green-fingered too?
Be careful how you set out your garden though. If you’re aiming for a professional tenant, they won’t necessarily keep up with the garden as much as you’d like them to. In this busy life, the garden might give way to the commute, late-night meetings and weekends away.
That’s not to say that your lovingly pruned patio will put your prospective tenants off, more that they won’t have the same know-how as you to keep it that way, and that might cause you to lose your favourite plants and shrubs, especially if you’ve cultivated a non-hardy, seasonal garden.
Unless you’re planning on hiring a regular gardener then it’s not advisable to have any high-maintenance lawns, trees, flower-beds, or vegetable patches!
Get some help in to start with…
Plan your plot. Getting a professional garden planner in to help may well save you money in the future on lost plants and higher maintenance costs, and it might also help you let your property quicker.
A well-planned garden will not only make for a good space for your tenants to entertain, and give your property a fresh look, but also ensure lower maintenance. This means it will be easier for your tenant to keep on top of all the small jobs and less hassle for you to spruce up when they eventually move on.
An attractive and user-friendly garden can certainly help you let your property quicker. It’s also worth thinking about the type of tenant you would like, or the type of tenant your property would attract, and designing the garden around those considerations.
It is highly recommended not to make it too high maintenance as you’ll either leave your tenant with a lot to do or you’ll have a rather sorry-looking garden to refresh the next time you need a new tenant for the property.
Need help finding a local garden designer or help letting out your property? Just ask!
