How Updating Your Garden Could Increase Value and Meet House Buyers High Demands
With the stamp duty holiday extended until the end of June, there will be reduced pressure for those who are looking to buy or sell. With current restrictions meaning more people than ever are spending additional time at home, the Covid-19 pandemic has almost certainly caused a shift in property priorities. This change in priorities is clear, whilst traditionally having a top of the range kitchen was top preference for buyers, recent reports suggest that additional space, both inside and out, has now become the most in-demand feature.
The attraction of having a functioning garden has risen for the homeowner throughout the last year; a recent survey conducted in the UK revealed that during the coronavirus lockdowns, outdoor gardening surged in popularity, with over a third of respondents having bought outdoor plants and compost1 throughout this period. It’s clear therefore, that investing in your garden is a hugely positive way of not only improving your chances of selling your home, but also providing an opportunity to add value to your property.
Here, leading outdoor building specialists, Lidget Compton explain some of the best ways that homeowners can enhance and upgrade their outdoor and garden areas of a property to add value to a home whilst also catching the attention of a potential buyer.
Invest in an outdoor building
With 82%2 of property professionals claiming that a shed is the feature that will add the most value to a house, and with the rise of people working from home, investing in an outdoor building is an upgrade that is estimated to boost the property price of the average UK home by up to £20,000. Outdoor buildings offer a multitude of uses, from storage to workshop and can even be used as a dedicated as office space. If space is a premium, the selection of Lidget sectional concrete garagesare a great option for creating additional living space for either a home office or even a home gym.
Incorporate a social space
In the current climate, properties that have outdoor social spaces are being favoured. Many people have spent the last year investing in their outdoor space, with the average person spending £884 on outdoor furniture such as sofas, hammocks and fire pits in August 2020 alone. Extending the indoor home into the outdoors has hugely grown in popularity since the start of the pandemic and has become a key feature looked for by the potential home buyer.
Prune your greenery
Experts have found that a well-kept garden can add up to £2,0003 in value to a home, so investing in greenery such as shrubs, plants and trees will instantly upgrade the kerb appeal of the home. Popular plants and flowers such as fuchsias and hydrangeas add seasonal colour, while evergreen shrubs such as lavender and euonymus are easy to maintain and will make a garden look beautiful all year round. While all gardens need pruning, it takes little effort to keep such garden additions looking good and little maintenance also makes the property more appealing to a buyer.
Create a focal point
Focal points direct the eye towards a specific area, such as a water feature, social space or botanical display, which can make a garden appear more expensive and luxurious. Often, repainting garden furniture or curating a floral feature using spare pots, compost and seeds can upgrade a garden with very little expense.
Add paved surfaces or decking
Adding levels and textures to a garden, creates great aesthetic appeal for visitors or potential buyers to enjoy. Decking, paving stones or gravel are often included within gardens to separate the green, grassy areas from the social area such as a patio. The presentation of the garden is just as important as the home’s interior, with the addition of paved or decked surfaces creating zones and act as transitions to add variety to an outdoor space.
Updating your outdoor space is an element that should be taken in consideration when looking to sell your property to meet the high demand and while the stamp duty holiday is still in play, taking advantage of the opportunity to enhance your property’s value is a case that shouldn’t be ignored.
