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Or sign-in if you have an account.Fiona (left) and Sarah Carver, sisters and agents at Sage Realty, suggest planting low-maintenance species so that non-gardening buyers won’t be overwhelmed by the idea of upkeep. Photo by SuppliedReviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page.As well as boosting curb appeal, a home’s garden can quietly shape how buyers feel about a property before they’ve even stepped inside. Sarah and Fiona Carver of Toronto-based Sage Real Estate explain which landscaping upgrades deliver the strongest returns, and how even modest outdoor improvements can make a home feel more spacious and valuable. From front-path hardscaping to low-maintenance planting, they offer some practical advice for sellers hoping to make their exterior spaces work harder at listing time. 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Q What role does the garden play in shaping a buyer’s first impression of a home? Sarah It’s a great way to show prospective buyers that the current sellers truly valued and enjoyed their time in the home, as they quite literally laid down roots. It shows they invested in the home beyond just the standard upkeep. Q Which outdoor upgrades tend to deliver the biggest impact when preparing a property for sale? Fiona The front yard, especially the hardscaping: the walkway, path and steps leading to the front door. Having even just a little garden or planters out front really sets the tone before entering the house. The backyard and patio are a close second, as they show potential buyers how expansive a property is and how much they can potentially entertain. Q Are there particular plants, flowers or design styles that help a home appeal to more buyers? Sarah Low-maintenance perennials are the most enticing, as they will appeal to those who don’t consider themselves to have green thumbs and won’t be overwhelmed. Q What are the most common mistakes homeowners make when trying to improve their yard before listing? Fiona Not tending to larger/older trees is a huge deterrent for buyers who don’t want to take on the potential upkeep cost. Also, laying down sod that hasn’t taken yet can show buyers that it’s hard to grow. It’s best to avoid laying new sod unless it’s going to adhere completely before going to market. Q How can sellers make a garden look polished and inviting without spending a fortune? Sarah We always tell our clients to focus on upkeep and cleanliness first. If something needs to be repaired or mended, do that first. If the gate to the garden is broken, start there. Once the wear and tear has been taken care of, give the grounds a good clearing out. Prune, trim, cut, and tidy your space. You’d be surprised just how much of an impact this will have; and, in most cases, the cost to do this is extremely affordable. For people who are the slightest bit handy themselves, it can cost nothing. Then I’d focus on defining the garden spaces as much as possible. Hiring a professional to help you do this part often ends up costing less than doing it yourself because they can find creative ways within your budget, ways that you may not have even thought were possible in the space that you have. Fiona and Sarah Carver. Photo by SuppliedQ How often do sellers reach out to agents about helping to stage a garden? Fiona That really depends on how hands-on the sellers already are with their gardens. People with green thumbs tend to want to make sure that it’s a highlight in their sale, especially if they’re selling in a prime season that can showcase this feature. In these cases, they rarely reach out for help. In other cases, when the sellers are overwhelmed with work and family life, or they have a large yard that they haven’t been able to maintain, this is a conversation we have when we meet with them at our initial staging meeting. Q How do features like patios, lighting, pathways and outdoor seating affect the perceived value of a property? Sarah During the right season it has a huge effect. This is particularly important if we’re talking about a modest-sized property where in the warmer seasons some of the outdoor space can be used as an exterior dining room, living room or outdoor office. In these cases, the perception of the size of a property’s useful common space can appear much larger, and this has an enormous impact on how buyers value the property. Q In your experience, to what extent can a well-staged garden influence sale price? Fiona If a property is on the market during the prime warm seasons that show off its exterior features, the benefits can equal almost or as much as what that extra space would garner inside the home. This can vary tremendously from property to property and neighbourhood to neighbourhood, so it’s vital to have an agent take a close look and assess just how much that value is. You really need to make sure you’ve got the right balance between how much money you invest outside as well as inside. We’ve seen too many properties where sellers overspent in one area and overlooked an area that would have yielded the best return. Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.