Whether the house has a small courtyard or a big one, landscaping the garden and cleaning the yard can make the home more appealing for sale.

Your garden sets the first impression

At first glimpse, the front yard is generally what anyone sees, especially a prospective buyer. It’s a mirror to how well you maintain the property which will define whether your property will draw praise or criticism during inspections. 

It doesn’t matter if you have a small courtyard, a regular back and front garden or a giant lawn sprawling with Eucalypts; perfecting the outdoor space can hold strong appeal to prospective buyers.

We know moving can be one of the most stressful situations in life and adding garden maintenance and landscaping makes it especially challenging. Unless you’re an avid lover of gardening and maintaining the yard, many opt to hire professionals to get the job done quickly and efficiently and let the experts do the hot, itchy work!

Gardeners or Landscapers… who should you hire?

There’s a thin line of difference between the two gardening professionals.

Gardener

A gardener is mainly equipped for the maintenance of gardens and grassed areas. They tend to gardens and are generally very knowledgeable about plant care and horticulture. They are adept at maintaining hedges, lawns and trees. Gardeners are usually not required to have a trade license. 

Landscaper

Landscape architects have studied the landscape design of a property and can do the physical work to create the design. Landscaping usually includes a variety of jobs like paving and hardscaping, or building patios, gazebos or pergolas. Often they are required to utilise and operate heavy equipment, so they generally require one or more trade licenses.

If you plan to completely revamp your garden and yard, you can budget the landscaping of the outdoor area around 5 percent of the property value. They are lawn and plant care specialists who can mow the gardens, manage pests and weeds and have good knowledge about soil and fertilizers. The general budget of a gardener depending on where you are located in Australia is an average of $50 per hour. 

It’s best to consult your real estate agent to discuss how worthwhile it is (or not) to put work into the property compared to the expected return, and whether you should invest in landscaping and gardening when selling your property. 

Should you hire a local mower service?

A local mowing business is your go-to for maintaining the outdoor area of your property. They are the lawn mowing, whipper snipping and trimming experts who can cut right to the chase and uplift your garden quickly. They will leave behind a neat yard before you know it. 

Usually, these local mower services run months in advance so plan early and pre-book them as they are really popular. Set aside a budget of $45 to $50 per hour or lawn-mowing and yard maintenance services depending on where you’re located in Australia. 

Which gardening service is best when you’re selling your house?

When you are trying to sell a property, you might need a yard maintenance service or a gardener to come and help give it a make-over to make a strong impression with buyers and get the best price for your house. 

Capture the attention of a prospective buyer through a well-maintained garden

Unless you have no frontage on your property, the yard is the first glimpse of property for anyone who is viewing it — make sure it’s praiseworthy. The size doesn’t matter; a garden is usually judged in the context of the neighbourhood ‘standard’. 

What matters is how well kept it looks at first glimpse. It could be an acreage with numerous gum trees or a small empty yard with a neat lawn, flower bed or a lot of potted plants.

When a prospective new owner or real estate agent lays their eyes on the property for the first time, the front yard should give an inviting impression or at the very least show the many possibilities for landscaping and gardening.

Homesuite can help you get a quote from a trustworthy provider to help you prepare your outdoor area for sale. Give us a call today on 1300 025 108 to have one of our property experts arrange a gardener, mower or range of other services on your behalf.