Landscape Ideas to Sell a House

Clean Up

• A cleanup of your landscaping is an inexpensive way to attract more buyers when selling your home. Remove any debris such as sticks, leaves or trash around the home. Store kids' toys and other extra items in the garage or a storage shed to declutter the landscape. Trim your shrubs, bushes and tree branches as needed to give the yard a polished look. A power wash of brick, sidewalks, siding and other surfaces outdoors also helps clean up the space. You can tackle cleaning up the landscape in a day and make a major difference in how it looks.

Lawn

• The grass itself is another key component to the landscaping. If your lawn is full of weeds, patchy or not mowed regularly, buyers will notice. A lawn in poor condition decreases the curb appeal and makes the potential buyers think of all the work they'll have to do to get the lawn in shape. Tackle the work for them by take care of lawn issues. A lawn care company can help you take care of weeds and other issues. Replacing the lawn with new sod is an option if it is in particularly poor condition. Sod does require regular care, but you get an attractive lawn right away.

Lighting

• Look at your home's exterior after dark to determine outdoor lighting needs. Note dark areas on the home and consider them for additional lighting. Light fixtures near the front and back doors and flanking the garage doors add security and visual appeal to the home. Landscape lighting also adds to the security and emphasizes landscaping features. Solar landscaping lights offer an inexpensive solution that is easy to install. Hard wired lights often shine brighter, but you will need an electrician to wire them.

Plantings

• Plants add visual interest to the landscape for increased curb appeal. Flowers work well because of the color they add. You can find inexpensive flowers that will grow well in your area for a cost-effective landscaping update. A landscape border around the flower bed defines the space and creates a polished look. Mulch adds to the finished look and is also inexpensive. If you don't want to make flower beds, choose large flower pots for planting the flowers.