An attractive front garden can significantly increase the value of your home, according to new research from PlantforLife. Their survey of estate agents shows that a well maintained front garden can add as much as £5,000 to the value of a property.
PlantforLife aims to promote the wide-ranging benefits of gardening. Their latest research among property experts not only highlights the financial benefits of a front garden but also proves they are key to creating strong first impressions and contributing towards a sale.
Nearly all (97 per cent) estate agents agree that a well maintained front garden can help a property seem more appealing to prospective buyers.
Half (50 per cent) said that a well presented front garden is extremely important when it comes to selling a property, and around 78 per cent said that the front garden forms part of their sales pitch.
More than a third (35 per cent) agree that the appearance of the front garden is key to clinching that essential offer.
But as a nation it seems we’re missing a trick, because nearly half (47 per cent) of estate agents believe that most people in the UK do not make the most of their front gardens.
To encourage people to make the most of their front gardens and think about the role they play in creating strong first impressions, PlantforLife has teamed up with property experts Barnard Marcus to develop the First Impressions guide – offering simple garden designs, flowers and plants and maintenance advice for all types of garden and gardener.
Mariel Roe from Barnard Marcus comments: “In today’s market when it comes to selling, your home is competing against many other properties. Therefore it’s crucial you create a strong first impression the moment a buyer pulls up outside your house.
“Buyers have been known to leave without viewing the property if they see a messy front garden. So, spending time presenting the outside of your home as carefully as the inside can make a difference when converting a viewing into an offer.”
Over a third (35 per cent) of estate agents surveyed agreed that the front garden is key to generating interest in a property and contributing towards a sale.
Improving it needn’t cost the earth though: More than half (58 per cent) of estate agents agree that “quick fix solutions” such as tidying up the front garden with flowers and shrubs will most effectively increase the perceived value of a property.
Around 67 per cent of estate agents agree that hedging and trees can boost a home’s selling power, by improving security and privacy.
