It’s been said many times over, but here it is again: you simply cannot overestimate the importance of first impressions. And the first thing potential buyers see when they drive up to your house is the outside. That’s where you make that crucial first impression that is likely to color buyers’ impression of the inside of your home. So taking care of curb appeal is a must-do, but you have to go beyond that and stage your outdoor space, much the same as you will do for the inside of your home. To help you, then, here are some tips for staging your outdoor space in Franklin, Nashville, or Brentwood.
Declutter the Outside Too
Just as you must do for the inside of your home, you also have to declutter the outside as a major step in staging your outdoor space in Franklin, Nashville, or Brentwood. Basically, this means getting rid of everything except the outdoor furniture and a few essential pieces of décor. The trash cans and garden hoses, all the kids’ toys, all the lawn equipment, the pet supplies, and toys – it all has to be put away out of sight in an outdoor shed, the garage, or (even better) a storage unit. It’s also a good idea to get rid of the lawn ornaments. You may not have a flock of plastic pink flamingos in your front yard, but what you have – even something as seemingly inoffensive as a bird bath – may not appeal to buyers.
When it comes to outdoor furniture, which most often means patio furniture, you’ll need to thin it out and retain only the pieces that best show off your outdoor space. As for the arrangement of furniture, make sure you allow for easy flow of traffic. In addition, set it up such that you create multiple conversation areas to allow buyers to see the possibilities. Just be sure to keep it simple, using the minimum amount of furniture needed to create the desired effect.
Pressure Wash and Scrub
You know how dingy vinyl siding can get and how unattractive those oil spots on the driveway are. So, as another important part of staging your outdoor space in Franklin, Nashville, or Brentwood, you’ll need to break out the pressure washer and the scrub brushes. Even brick homes will brighten up noticeably after you pressure wash. And don’t neglect to hit the fascia board all around, as well as the back deck.
Go Neutral for Outdoor Decor and Furniture
We’ve touched on decluttering and arranging your outdoor furniture, so now let’s consider color. Just as with the interior of your home, you don’t want a bunch bright, garish, clashing colors. If you do have a lot of brightly colored furniture, you should refinish/repaint it in neutral tones or replace it with neutral-colored furniture. It won’t hurt, though, to have a few brightly colored accent pieces placed strategically throughout.
Provide Some Shade
If much of your outdoor space is exposed to direct sunlight for several hours a day, it would be a good idea to provide some shade. You could use, for example, patio covers or large patio umbrellas. The object is to keep buyers from worrying whether the outdoor space will be too hot in the summertime and keep them focused, instead, on the many entertaining possibilities your outdoor space will offer when it becomes theirs.
Lean on Your Agent for Outdoor Staging Advice
In short, then, staging your outdoor space in Franklin, Nashville, or Brentwood is at least as important as staging the inside of your home. And you have basically three options for getting it just right. You can hire professional outdoor stagers at considerable cost, or you can learn about it and do it yourself. The third option is to get an awesome real estate agent and then lean on her knowledge and expertise.