3 tips to tune-up outdoor house spaces for an easy winter sell

1. Keep up garden maintenance

If your property is unoccupied and you want it to sell, it needs to look in top condition, which should include lawn maintenance and aeration.

“The quality of lawns can severely and quickly degrade in winter if you aren’t taking the right steps — and it can take a lot longer to fix lawns, than it did for them to end up in bad shape.”

“In winter, it’s critical to increase aeration of the turf zone to prevent them from drying out.

“For large lawns, a motorised aerator can be useful — but a garden fork or a pair of spiked aerator shoes also do the job if the lawn isn’t huge; … you’ve just got to be careful not to cut into any irrigation lines running underneath the lawn as this can be a very annoying mistake to rectify and potentially expensive if you can’t fix it yourself.”

Mr Leacy also recommended fertilising lawns in August, as this will help to improve the quality of the garden in spring.

“Aeration and growth of the lawn will also be assisted by mowing a little higher during the cooler months; … doing so will help to maximise natural sunlight and photosynthesis to the lawn,” he said.

For garden beds, Mr Leacy suggested to cover them all with mulch about 70 to 100 millimetres thick.

“Mulching will help to suppress weed-growth, as well as insulating the soil, delivering nutrients and minimising water loss,” he said.

“Mulching can actually reduce the need for watering by up to 60 per cent, depending on how dry conditions are,”

Winter also brings with it a need a need for fine pruning.”

If you want to add a bit of colour to the garden, Mr Leacy also recommends planting some flowers to fit in with the season.

“Some lovely cooler month varieties include Hibiscus, Salvia and Rhododendron. All of these grow well in cooler conditions and are relatively low-maintenance,” he said.

“For more textural varieties, you might consider the likes of Carex, Helichrysum, Miscanthus and Westringia.”

2. Warming the great outdoors

Outdoor areas may be avoided in the colder months, but there are ways to boost the warmth outside, Mr Leacy said.

“Outdoor heating can be bolstered through outdoor heaters, fire pits and even outdoor fire places,” he said.

“The best choice will depend on your budget and outdoor aesthetic, but there is variety of options at both the top end and lower end of the market.”

Fire pits for example create ambience and a “sense of cosiness” into outdoor spaces, while strip heating in closer outdoor spaces and wind blocking screening can also raise temperatures, according to Mr Leacy.

“You can also introduce cover from the elements through pergolas, retractable awnings and gazebos,” he added.

“When it comes to outdoor seating and the like, try to opt for … colours that will create a sense of warmth and cosiness.”

3. Pool heating

If the house has a pool, adding pool heating can make this asset usable all year round.

The options available are electric, gas and solar. Gas gives the new buyer more control over heating options, but is the most cost-intensive, while solar is the most cost-effective. Electric can help the pool stay at a constant temperature, but takes time to generate.

“In addition to pool heaters, I’d recommend using a pool cover to insulate the water and retain heat overnight the water as well,” Mr Leacy said.

“Pool covers also help to reduce your chemical requirements over winter — as well as the amount of evaporation your pool experiences.”

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