May 2021 : Gardening your Way to Summer

If there is one thing I have learned during my staging experience in the universe of real estate, is to never underestimate the effect of landscaping on the overall look of a property. Don’t worry, you don’t have to go over your budget, it can just be a simple touch to make your backyard or balcony look more appealing. 

When I put a house on the market, I always make sure to stage the backyard and balcony with outdoor furniture and accessories in order to make it look inviting and comfortable.  This simple trick always does wonders to the overall look of the property and really charms the visitors. One thing I like to say to my clients is to never underestimate their backyard. In fact, around 10% to 15% of your property value should go in your backyard.

Now, what can you do to enhance your outdoor area? First of all, no matter what kind of outdoor living space you have, adding accessories is always stylish and is definitely budget friendly. There are plenty of outdoor accessories like outdoor hanging lights, outdoor little rugs, colourful outdoor pillows and cushions or even a nice bird fontaine. This step is so easy because inexpensive accessories can be found everywhere, from hardware stores to thrift shops and even at dollar stores.

The main part of your outdoor space should be a relaxing space. Find comfortable furniture that are inviting like outdoor lounge chairs,  patio chairs, patio dining sets, or even a hammock. The outdoor area is a temporary extra space that should be used in a relaxing and entertaining way.

Gardening: Either you like it or not, keeping a sleek landscape is primordial. Some people love to plant flowers and trees and are really good at it. Good thing for them, but you don’t really need to have the green thumb in order to have a nice garden. You just need to cut the grass from time to time to give it a fresh look. On the other side, you could also build a patio that takes the whole backyard space if you don’t want to do any gardening.

Those tips I mentioned above are the basic needs for every outdoor area. Then, if you want to go extra, you have infinite possibilities. You could have a fire pit, you could make a “work from home” outdoor office, you could even have a tiki mini bar. The possibilities are limitless and it is a good way to get creative with the family or by yourself !

Good Luck,

The Montreal Realtor