It is fair to assume that a high percentage of house buyers prefer to buy a property that is already renovated or decorated to a high standard. Not everyone has an entrepreneurial spirit but for those that have the knowledge, the time and access to funds, property renovations can be a highly profitable occupation.
Some will carry out all of the work themselves and others will employ trades to do various specialist tasks and manage the project but ultimately the aim is to sell for more than a modest gain.
Landscaping the garden.
The popularity of TV makeovers has set imaginations and desires alight countrywide. People wanted to revitalise their surroundings and make their outdoor space a part of their home and the landscape material and plant industry has boomed because of it.
What property developers and householders alike seem to ignore is this space in which families spend so much of their time is a real investment area and has the potential to double your money. if you are crafty and do the right things you can make many times your investment back when you sell.
A few tips
After completing the internal renovations, structural changes and decorating on your property get a valuation from three reputable estate agents.
Take a view and determine which price is fair and meets your criteria. You will then use this to set a budget for your landscaping works.
A 5% budget based on the proposed sale price is a good target for properties under £150,000 7.5% up to a value of £300,000 and up to 10% for £300,000 plus.
Set budgets any higher than the guide and you might have to pull off one heck of a great design to make that profit. Spend less and the design might not create the desired impact and waste your cash.
Get it right and you can look at the very least to double your money.
Survey your space and if you do not have the experience employ a garden designer but remember, their fees can be high and this comes off your bottom line. If you have the confidence then do it yourself and come up with a concept plan. A good landscaper should be able to work with you on the final layout.
Make your budget work for you. If you want to optimise your returns then do not decide on the last minute to double your budget. Be strong and resolute because even by adding £5,000 to a £15,000 budget you cannot be sure to make a higher return. The very least you ever want is break even. You hope that the property itself has a profit margin factored in and even if a fresh new landscape only serves to sell it then it has got to be viewed as a positive. Over spend and it reduces your overall profit. So we have to look at the profit on the garden in isolation as though it were a separate contract which means you have to treat it in a businesslike fashion.
Whatever you do, do not indulge yourself.
For the garden itself, be conservative. It is a technique that is advisable for the interior of the property and you should be extending this philosophy outside too.
You want to appeal to a wide demography to keep your chances of selling quickly, high.
Avoid a large water feature. Somebody crazy on Koi might not share the view but you may quickly rule out potential buyers with young children for obvious reasons. One thing we were often asked to do was infill fishponds.
With your budget in mind, start close to the populated areas of the garden. A well designed patio or terrace out side the french doors is a far better choice than a woodland walk a hundred yards away.
Use quality materials that will dominate their space and not the 99p riven paving from B&Q.
Stonemarkets and Bradstone have some fantastic ranges of paving and walling so work with something that looks authentic.
Make the layout user friendly. Having terracing that you can only access via steps isn't good for your back when carrying the mower up and down and if your pitching the house to a family then a good lawn which your able to see from most downstairs windows is good. Don't restrict the view.
The message is, get the garden working for you and lock in a good profit.
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