From Shabby to Chic

Whether your vendor’s budget is big or small, professional landscapers can transform a property to make it sell faster.

Falling in love at first sight is not just the stuff of romantic novels.  Homebuyers do it too. We’ve all heard stories of people seeing a house from the street for the first time and deciding then and there they just have to have it.

Creating that vital first impression, as we all know, is all about street appeal. Many prospective homebuyers or tenants will drive past a house first before making arrangements to see it. Often you won’t get a second chance to impress them so it’s worth taking some time at the outset to make sure that the vendor has the house looking its best.

This doesn’t necessarily mean having to repaint the entire house (although of course it helps). Waterblasting the front can make a big difference. So can a tidy garden, freshly painted front door, even a pot of petunias on the doorstep.

Who Do I Call

If you’re not sure how to start turning a shabby house into a chic, attractive property it could be worth contacting the professionals. There are now several property valet or home staging companies operating in New Zealand which provide a complete service for selling or renting homes, starting with those all important outside areas such as garden, deck, and balcony. If it’s just the garden that’s a problem, talk to a landscape designer or garden maintenance company.

We asked some of these experts to help us come up with a few suggestions and tips based on three different budget levels:

Under $1000

Organising a dump bin should be the first priority when tidying up a garden says Sam Jackman of the Property Valet Company. “Place a six or nine cubic metre dump bin on the site for all rubbish – garden, household, garage etc. It will be filled!”

As for the garden, don’t try and rebuild it from scratch, warns Jackman.  “It won’t grow in time unless you know what you are doing and have access to a trade nursery with landscape grade plants that have been well looked after. Cheap plants don’t cut it.”

But you can do a lot with existing plants such as dead-heading ornamentals and shrubs, he suggests. “Remove all dead, dying and diseased foliage ie. everything that’s brown. Plant potted flower colour wherever there are gaps and mulch all garden beds with #2 fine mulch. Weed everywhere – garden beds, pathways (weed spray), pots and planters. Finally feed the lawn and water in the fertiliser. Attend to the edges – make them stand out.”

Decluttering of the garage, garden, basement and all interior spaces is also crucial Jackman advises. So is washing the entire house including all outdoor structures, the visible areas under the decks, gutters and downpipes, pathways, cobbles and driveways.

“Don’t accept that the house was washed only a ‘couple of months ago’.  It will still be dirty and with modern soft chemicals it will shine on open home day.”

Landscape designer Mike Mansvelt also believes there’s not a lot of planting you can do with $1000. He advises clearing and mulching messy garden beds “with the emphasis on a low maintenance appearance”.  Mansvelt also suggests a lick of paint and a good clean up around the garden. “Tired fences can be painted and decks can be stained. Also consider buying or hiring large pots to define an entrance way or add interest to outdoor areas.”

Other Areas To Consider :

• Windows – make sure they’re clean and shiny. Cut back overgrown bushes and trees that might obstruct windows;

• Gutters – clean out dead leaves and rubbish. Buyers often comment if gutters are full of leaves and it makes them question other maintenance issues;

• Rubbish bins, bikes, tools, building materials - store out of sight anything that makes the garden look messy;

• Lawns – keep them mown and edged;

• Front door – paint it if it’s looking shabby, buy a new door handle if it’s looking a bit tired. Even a new doormat can make a difference;

• Pots of flowering annuals can brighten up decks and boring garden beds;

• Shrubs and trees – make sure they are neatly pruned. Remove dead or diseased branches;

• Driveways and footpaths - sweep and waterblast if dirty;

• Letterbox – paint it or if in really bad condition, get a new one.

Under $5000

“You’ll be surprised how quickly $5000 will be eaten up so don’t tackle any majors, just take what you’ve got and make it look polished,” advises Mansvelt.

He suggests concentrating on entranceways and outdoor living areas as well as front pathways. “Sometimes rerouting a path can make the front of a property seem more interesting. Privacy issues can be redressed with lattice screening or planting.”

Another of Mansvelt’s favourite tricks is to place specimen grade trees or palms in an avenue or row along a fenceline. “It’s a cost effective way of creating instant drama,” he explains.

Other Ideas:

• Replace chipped, stained pavers or old fashioned paving units. Large (at least 450x450mm) pavers give a more contemporary look. These can often be laid over existing concrete;

• Install outdoor lighting so that the house looks inviting in the evenings (when many buyers check out properties);

• Buy some stylish plants eg clipped topiary, miniature palms, coloured flaxes. Plant in matching pots for the deck and/or front entrance;

• Edge garden beds with prefabricated mowing strips for a crisper, more contemporary look;

• Position a focal point in the front garden to add interest. This could be a large handsome pot, a lovely garden bench, a piece of sculpture or even a small water feature;

• Patch any potholes in the driveway;

• If the front door has no cover, a small awning or portico will make a huge difference, particularly if you are selling the house in winter;

• Replace patchy or weedy front lawn with Readylawn.

Under $10,000

Mike Mansvelt advises calling in a trusted professional landscape designer to assist you when spending this amount of money. “If your outdoor living space and entrance is fine,” he says, “concentrate on plants, outdoor furniture, feature pots and water features. A furnished garden helps a new buyer to imagine themselves living in the space.”

Mansvelt firmly believes that adding decks is one of the best ways to maximise outdoor living and enhance the look of a home. “It’s amazing how a simple box-like house can be re-faced with well planned decks and pergolas. As always, keep it simple and try and to match new materials with existing ones already on the property for continuity.”

Other Useful Tips Include:

• Replanting beds in front of house with large grade, low maintenance plants eg flaxes, astelias, palms, succulents, dietes, day lilies, small flowering trees such as prunus or kowhai;

• Resurfacing a cracked or uneven driveway;

• Rebuilding front fence and gate;

• Repaving existing front path with upmarket sandstone, terrazzo or slate pavers. Choose a material that works with existing materials as Mike suggests.

• Replacing lawns front and back with Readylawn;

• Making sure connections are good between front and back yards. If necessary lay a new path to link these areas;

• Replacing dilapidated decks, pergolas, gazebos, garages and other structures;

• Redesigning side gardens. Rather than just a through route to the back these can be made into lovely courtyard type spaces in their own right, improving the outlook from kitchen or bedrooms.

Don’t Overcapitalise

Whatever the budget, it’s important not to spend money without careful consideration. Sam Jackman warns of the dangers of over-capitalising. He estimates the ‘valet’ cost should be no more than 1 – 1.5 percent of the value of the home.

Relying on the vendor to do all the work is also a big mistake, he says.  “Don’t accept that the vendor has said that they will do everything (to save money) – they won’t and they don’t have time – nor will they do it on Tuesday when you want it done – they’re at work.”

Finally Jackman says that it’s important not to have unrealistic expectations. “Don’t expect the property to look immaculate every open home day, it won’t. Prior to each open home, vacuum the drive and pathways, get rid of cobwebs around the entrance. And get rid of the dog whenever you can!”

Advice to give to rental home owners and property investors

It’s important to ensure that your client’s investment property is maintaining its market value while keeping tenants happy, says Sam Jackman. Therefore it’s a good idea to spend money on maintenance while they are taking rent. “It will cost less in the long run and less when you are about to sell.”

When you your client decides to sell Jackman advises “getting rid of the tenant – unless they are exceptionally tidy – well before they go to market and start the clean-up process. And they should expect to spend money getting the house ready for sale. Just because they are a landlord doesn’t make them a property expert.”

But, he says, investors need to remember that the property may be bought by a family to live in – not another investor. “Their needs and wants are completely different.”