The inside of your home is gorgeous and newly remodelled with the requisite hardwood floors, granite countertops, new light fixtures, up-to-date bathrooms and a completely remodelled basement. Other older and not even as nice area homes are quickly selling for $400,000 or more, but you can’t even get an offer near your $375,000 asking price. Your Realtor (we don’t advise selling your house on your own) even put a “must see inside” tag on your for-sale sign, but nothing is happening.
Before you begin to lower the price, however, RealtyWW.info advises you to take a critical look at your home’s curb appeal. Your lawn is full of brown patches, your original foundation plantings are so big that they cover the windows, your trash cans are in plain sight and your walkway and driveway are cracked. You need a landscaping makeover, but it may not be as hard as you think.
While a professional landscaper would solve all of your problems, this is an area where DIY could still work. That’s why we’ll look at the four major problem areas and some great ideas for some quick fixes.
Your Lawn
Even if you live in a small Denver, Colorado apartment, no matter what you have grown, if it’s green and short it will look much better. The same goes for the curb appeal at your home. Even if you have a mixture of turf, weeds, and ground cover, a short and nicely trimmed lawn can look decent from the curb. And if you have sidewalks, do not forget to edge. Edging is the pro landscaper’s go to trick that makes even a messy lawn look presentable. Neatly and nicely defined lines add a clean feel and will be a great first step toward fixing a lawn issue.
Tip: You can use a string trimmer to edge.
Next, a quick way to cover problem lawn spots is to plant annual ryegrass. This is a great-looking and quick-growing temporary solution since this type of grass dies in the winter, but if you are showing your home in the warmer months, annual ryegrass can quickly fill out your lawn.
Tip: Water frequently until the grass is established. Don’t stop watering those fine new blades or they may quickly die off.
Keep your lawn looking fresh and so will your home be.
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Over-grown Bushes and Foundation Plantings
No, you don’t have to attach these monsters to a chain and then your car’s axle to pull them out of the ground.
- Start from the top down,
- use a reciprocating saw,
- trim the branches down to ground level.
- Then, dig out a small circular trench and cut down the main trunk below ground level.
- Rake the area, mulch it, and plant some smaller ornamentals. Your garden centre can help you with a design.
If your problem plantings are still desirable but just out of control, simply get a hedge trimmer and give them a good haircut. Try to have a completed shape in mind, however, as random hacking can produce an ugly result. That’s why it’s always a wise decision to test first.
Tip: Do a small section and then step back to take a look before you keep trimming.
Does it look good? Did it work? Are you firm that you can handle the job without causing a disaster?
That Little Strip
Some people call it a tree lawn, some refer to it as the city strip, and some in the South refer to it as the devil’s strip, but this narrow grassy area between your sidewalk and the street can be difficult.
- Take a tip from the southwestern landscapers and remove all vegetation.
- Next, get a couple of yards of decomposed granite and tamp it down. That problem area will instantly look cleaner.
- Finally, buy some big clay pots and plant some bushes that will do well in containers.
Again, your experts at the garden centre can help you here. To rush without preparation is a guarantee for problems, hassle and nerves.
Driveway and Sidewalk Issues
Remember, edging does a great job of making any sidewalk or driveway look better. To remodel the garage or pimp the driveway itself are also worthy to consider. Next, clean up those amazing weeds that seem to sprout directly from the concrete.
Landscaper’s tip: If you don’t want to use chemicals, try boiling water applied quickly and directly to the weeds. Although some plants will survive, most won’t, which will momentarily make your job easier.
When the unwanted plants die off, sweep away the remnants and take a look. If your edged and weed-free sidewalks and driveways still need help, you may need to call a contractor to raise uneven concrete blocks, fill in cracks, and even replace whole sections. Like it or not, plant life is destructive and can cost you a lot.
A DIY landscaping project can cost you from a few hundred to thousands of dollars, and a professional job can set you back from a few thousand to almost 10K. Regardless, your home’s outside appearance is the first thing that prospective buyers see, and after a long day of looking at properties, your home can be quickly dismissed unless the outside is presentable.
Furthermore, if you really have top-ten curb appeal, but the inside of your home has some deficiencies, you may find that those inside issues are more easily overcome—especially if you have the perfect lawn that the buyer has always been looking for.
“The Devil is in the details.”
September 12, 2018
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