Maintaining your yard is one of the most important things you can do when selling your home. Potential buyers form their first impression of a house from its curb appeal. A house with an attractive landscape can sell for up to 4 to 5 percent more, while a home with an unkempt yard can sell for 8 to 10 percent less, than the market rate. By keeping your lawn mowed and making a few simple improvements, you will attract potential buyers and bring in better offers for your home.
Start cleaning up your yard a month before you start showing your house. If you have a lawn, keep it mowed and weeded. Patch brown spots in the grass by raking and over-seeding the bald patches. Keep leaves and other debris cleaned up. A well-maintained lawn will sell a home faster than a weedy, brown one.
Plant flowers to add some color to the landscape of your home and spruce up your outdoor containers. Be sure to prune overgrown trees and shrubs and replace any plants that look unhealthy. Clean all water features and fix any that are not functioning properly.
Lastly, potential home-buyers will notice things like dirty or broken concrete. Pressure-wash your driveways, patios and sidewalks if necessary and patch up or replace broken cement. This is a sign to buyers that everything is being maintained properly.