When it comes to selling your home everyone always talks about curb appeal and staging. There are several hours a day of television programming dedicated to making your home looks perfectly staged, neutrally decorated and beautifully manicured. However there seems to be little attention paid to decks, porches and other backyard spaces.
During the warmer months, people tend to spend a great deal of time outdoors. They go to picnics, barbeques and parks in search of good times and fresh air. So logic would dictate that these same people are going to want outdoor spaces for their home. They want places they can see themselves hanging out with their family and friends.
While you may not have the budget for a large-scale hardscaping project there are still some things you can do to set your home apart from the neighbors.
- Clean and repair your deck or porch. Broken dirty steps and splintering wood scream WORK for the new owner. Make sure your deck and porch look their best. Here are some tips on how to clean decks and porches.
- Set the stage. Add a few clean furnishings that make the area more appealing like a table and chair set or maybe a rocker. Don’t use items that are broken or need a good coat of paint. Pay attention to scale and don’t overwhelm the space with giant furnishings. For smaller porches use a bistro set instead of large dining table.
- Add some planters. Blooming plants can make the space homier as well as provide some color and fragrance.
- For porches and covered spaces, a nice indoor/outdoor rug can make the space look more pulled together like an outdoor room.
- Create a pathway. Adding a walkway to and from your porch or deck makes the space look polished. You can find inexpensive stone or composite material pavers at your local home improvements store and it looks so much nicer than a worn, dirt trail.
