April 14th 2009

Staging the yard for sale, not only the interior of the house!

Now that it is Spring and you might think of selling, you need to get the home ready for the sale. Sure, everybody has already heard about interior Staring, but have you though of staging your exterior of the home as well?

We all know the obvious things to do; planting flowers, cut the grass, take the kids toys, and make them disappear....

First, you need to prepare the ground for a good and nice looking yard and all the flowerbeds and grass should be weed free.

You can find in any local lawn and garden center very good weed killers you can use. Sometimes they ask you to bring a soil sample to have it tested, so that they can recommend the right mixture of fertilizer and weed killer for you.

The flowerbeds should have a clear separation from the lawn and have a clean edge. You can use edging or you can leave it natural. Top the flowerbeds off with a fresh layer of mulch. This will reduce weeds and will give the beds a clean and fresh look

When you have perennials who will cone up during the rest of the season, give the beds a little more color with local annuals.

Annuals are quick and cheep, come in every color you can imagine and give the area a quick inexpensive burst of color.

When you have trees that grow close to the house, you might consider calling a tree trimming company when you have branches that are hanging over the roof of the house.

Then you also should take time to power wash the house, drive, walkway, patio furniture, patio, and/or deck. Nothing will get the areas cleaner with a good power washer with some cleaner. Just be careful you do not strip any paint or siding.

Stage the deck and/or patio before a showing (pending on the weather). Have soft music playing, maybe a small fountain and table set for guests, without going overboard.  

Many times the deck and patio are overlooked in staging, do not overlook this valuable marketing tool you have for your home.

Bettina Settles