Did you know that front gardens are a crucial factor in the homebuying decision-making process? In this article, we dig into recent data to reveal some top tips for home sellers.
A survey conducted by building supplies specialists Marshalls, captured the thoughts of 2,001 respondents. It found that 60% of potential home buyers decide whether they want to buy a house within just one minute of laying eyes on the front garden. While 68% are put off by a property if they don’t like a particular part of the front garden.
This means that a dirty driveway, uncut lawn or broken path could be sending out the wrong signals when people turn up for a property viewing.
How important are front gardens?
While front gardens are often more practical than aesthetic features, nearly half (43%) of those questioned stated that they care more about the appearance of their home than two years ago. The main motivations for improving a property’s kerb appeal were to improve the external appearance (44%) and increase the home’s value (29%).
Other reasons included keeping up with the neighbours, being inspired by the homes of family and friends (20%), examples on social media (15%) and magazines and TV shows (15%) on how to style the outside of their homes.
But it’s not just about individual homes; the research also shows that well-landscaped communal areas in new-build housing developments can sway decisions for 40% of potential buyers. Safety features, including lighting and CCTV, round out the top three considerations for shared spaces.
Does your front garden encourage wildlife?
While driveways and artificial grass are practical, low-maintenance choices, more and more buyers are looking to embrace nature and biodiversity. For example, bedding plants in wooden planters and hanging baskets, as well as a real lawn, are favoured by one in five (21%) people. Other popular features include trees (20%), wildlife gardens (17%), raised bedding areas (15%) and bird baths (14%).
Features that are kind to the environment were shown to be more popular than new driveways (14%), bin storage (13%) and privacy screening (12%).
Ben Warren, Managing Director of Landscape Products at Marshalls, emphasises the importance of balance, saying: “In a world where image is so important, it’s no surprise to find that kerb appeal has a huge impact on whether someone buys a property – and these findings prove just how influential is, with the outside of a home impacting a buyer’s decision within a matter of seconds.
“What’s important in the quest for ultimate kerb appeal is to balance practical spaces – like driveways and bin storage – with features like plants and trees, to help attract wildlife and make a space attractive.”
Need advice on front gardens?
Here at House Gardens, our team of talented designers and tradespeople have the knowledge and experience to create stylish and practical front gardens for properties of all shapes and sizes. With House Gardens you can make a lasting impression from the moment someone sets eyes on your home!
