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Health & Fitness

Yard Dos and Don’ts to Sell Your Home

To help sell a home in this spring, right now is prime time to consider some yard-focused dos and don'ts

Your yard is your home's calling card. A dated or overgrown yard can be a huge turnoff to potential buyers – just as an appealing one can trump other objections. 

Landscape designer Cynthia Bee knows this well. "Landscaping often makes the difference,” she says, “between a prospective buyer getting out of the car for a closer look or simply driving on by."

The same goes for Internet prospects as they scan through listings in search of alocal home to buy. An unappealing yard can detract from your all-important curbside glamour photo -- and cause them ‘to drive on by’ your listing. The backyard is not as important in attracting buyers, but often proves vital in holding their enthusiasm.

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To help sell a home in this spring, right now is prime time to consider some yard-focused dos and don’ts:

DON’T allow ornamentation designed to create character -- that ‘character’ may be hard for prospective buyers to see past. In this category are mirrored globes, plastic fauna, and (definitely) gnomes of all varieties.

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DO consider maintenance issues when you plan front and backyard updates.  To sell a home that appeal to the widest swath of prospects, avoid intricate garden plantings that shout: Weed me! Water me! Trim me!

DON’T let original planting design make an otherwise appealing property feel dated. It used to be considered elegant to have flat-toped and rounded bushes alongside pathways – but that was the 50’s. Today, the vast majority of buyers appreciate the natural look (and native plants).

DO consider who your likeliest prospects will be – and how your yard will fit their family. If you are going to sell a home with four bedrooms, a back yard with plenty of playing space for the kids is a good idea.

Sometimes it can be the smallest details that determine how quickly you sell a home.  It’s my job to help in figuring out which and what those are likely to be.  If you are getting ready to sell a home, I hope you will call me to put my knowledge to work!

For more information about John Badalamenti of Prudential Fox & Roach, visit his web site: www.MainLineHomeZone.com or contact him via email: johnb@subphillyhomes.com

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