As the days grow longer and the thermometer rises, everyone
wants to start spending more time outdoors—to make full use of our yards and
patios. But what if your Charleston, SC home is going to be on the market this
summer? Does it mean you have to stop enjoying yourself, stop entertaining
guests, just because you want to keep the place in showable condition?
The answer is, of course, of course not. Using the outdoor
spaces of your home means striking a balance between living your life and ensuring
everything is in top condition when buyers come calling. It’s actually a
staging opportunity, because most of your prospective buyers will be favorably
impressed if your outdoor staging areas make it easy to picture themselves
enjoying our beautiful Charleston summer weather.
Staging your home’s landscaping thus takes added importance
during summertime, beginning with overall curb appeal. Any time of year, potential
buyers are often swayed by that first impression: as they approach the house,
the impact will be one they’d like their own future visitors to have. Staging
an inviting front yard appearance does wonders for your selling prospects.
Make sure your lawn is trimmed and the yard edged. During springtime
and fall, a 2”-3” grass length is recommended, but as the hotter summer months
approach, longer grass will help shade the soil and keep roots comfy. Minimize brown
spots and thin patches by giving the blades an extra half inch.
Staging walkways and driveways means keeping cemented areas
free of volunteer growing things. Having weeds, clover, or anything sprouting
between stones or pavement is not only unsightly, it brings to mind the work
required for upkeep (a turnoff to prospects). Although chemical herbicides are
popular, an eco-conscious (and penny-conscious) alternative is plain old kitchen
vinegar.
The most important staging advice for the outside of the
house is that it give the impression that a fresh coat of paint won’t be needed
for quite a while. Cleaning it can be enough, or if not, new paint may be
needed. You can opt for professional painting, but if your home is sided, or if
you’ve recently (within the past five years) had your home painted, pay
attention to details like windows and other smaller touchups you can easily do
yourself.
If staging the back (and possibly front) yards is likely to
be a really important part of marketing your Charleston area home, give some
attention to outdoor furniture. It’s expensive stuff, so if it’s going to really
be a key selling point for the property, it might be worth the effort to really
make the space shine. If you don’t have any outdoor furniture (and don’t plan
to need any in your new house), consider hiring a stager just to handle the
exterior spaces. Less expensive than a
full home staging, exterior staging can make a huge difference in the overall
appeal of your Charleston, SC home during the outdoor months.
Once you’ve revitalized of your home’s outdoor areas, keeping
it in top showing condition need consist of little more than the regular weekly
yard work and cleanup, a relaxing prospect for enjoying your property throughout
the good weather months. And do give me a call—I’m standing by to take care of
the rest!
Interested in selling your Charleston area home? Visit: www.jeffcookrealestate.com
Interested in buying a Charleston area home? Visit: www.discovercharlestonareahomes.com
-Jeff Cook
Jeff Cook
Real Estate
Charleston,
SC
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