'It's attention to detail': How gardens can make or break sale

Gardens most often form the first impression that buyers gain from a property inspection – and they can make or break a potential sale.

Agents believe garden presentation can imply what buyers can expect inside a home, and that increases its priority when preparing a property for sale.

Frank Barker of Raine & Horne Southern Highlands says there is a wide range of options available to help sellers prepare.

“The vendors of the cover property used to own a nursery, a great background for the design and maintenance of their grounds,” he says.

“Do-it-yourself is a popular approach – lawns need to be mowed and edged, and bushes and trees trimmed. It’s attention to detail.”

Barker says that, if vendors need assistance, he provides access to a wide range of trades and services that can help bring a property up to standard.

“There are local handymen, stylists, carpenters – whatever is needed to enhance the presentation,” he says.

Sally Strang of home.byholly says she encourages vendors to consider the connection between a home’s outdoor areas and the residence itself.

“They are all parts of the same story and there should be a logical flow between the front garden, home and backyard,” she says.

“I encourage vendors to think holistically and bring the same sensibility to all zones.”

Strang says that might include decluttering – just as important in the garden as it is inside – or perhaps introducing outdoor styling that reflects aspects of the interior decor.

• Mow: Give your lawns a short back and sides. Use the catcher and finish with a rake. Perhaps an edging tool for the final presentation. Water and feed to ensure your grass is greener.
• Clip: Time to get busy with the secateurs and the pruning shears. Cut back bushes and trees for growth or shape. Clear any growth that might be blocking sunlight from entering the home.
• Mulch: Nothing gives garden beds new vibrancy than a fresh layer of mulch. There’s plenty to choose from at the local nursery. A shade that contrasts the lawn would be a winner.

Check out our top properties for sale with the best gardens:

Kangaroo Valley

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Charm. Some homes have it, and here’s one that definitely does, sitting in Kangaroo Valley on two hectares of bucolic beauty.

The bones of this classic home date to 1885 and it has enjoyed incarnations as the original valley post office, a store and a museum.

Right now, it’s arguably at its best as a stylish and sensitively extended and renovated country residence.

That’s reflected in a simple, yet efficient floor plan providing a zone for four bedrooms and another for family living. The bedroom wing in the older section is highlighted by character features including wood panelling, high ceilings and two fireplaces.

The family wing offers a generous open-plan living and dining area with ducted air-conditioning and another open fireplace for those chilly nights.

The country style continues in the kitchen, highlighted by its jarrah cabinetry and powered by a range of brand-name appliances.

The exterior has shade from a wraparound bullnose verandah to the north, an al fresco area with vaulted ceilings and a deck to the rear.

A separate studio with a bathroom on the property could be used as extra guest accommodation or a work-from-home space.

Other infrastructure includes a dam and fenced paddocks.

The home is an easy walk to local schools. Kangaroo Valley is just two hours from Sydney and Canberra and around 30 minutes to the NSW South Coast.

Price guide: $2.2 million-$2.4 million

Private sale

Agent: Raine & Horne Southern Highlands, Frank Barker 0456 555 422

Or try these:

Waramanga

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Price guide: $1.55 million+

Private sale

Agent: Hayman Partners, Rick and Tina Meir 0408 588 770

Yarralumla

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Price guide: $3 million+

Private sale

Agent: home.byholly, Sally Strang 0410 626 731

Yarralumla

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Price guide: $2.2 million+

Auction: 11:30am, February 25

Agent: Belle Property Canberra, Leanne Palmer 0400 545 343