If you’re thinking about selling your home in the Sutherland Shire or concerned about the drought and how to keep your garden in good shape, then today’s topic is for you.

In these water-wise times, many buyers are turned off by a high-maintenance or what we like to call “thirsty garden”. Also, as many buyers in Sutherland Shire are young couples with young children, they don’t generally have much time to keep on top of their garden.

How to maximise your garden’s appeal to buyers

The general idea is that when a buyer walks onto your property – and begins to imagine their beautiful life, entertaining and lolling about – they won’t want to be confronted by what appears to be a lot of work. So spruce up your front and back yards so potential buyers only envisage relaxation and the joy you’re garden will bring them in their new home.

1. Drought-proof your garden

The first thing is to take a good look at the plants in your garden. How drought-tolerant are they? If you have some thirsty plants like azaleas, now is the time to dig them up and give them to friends or family who can take care of them.

Swap plants that require a lot of water for drought-tolerant plants that work for our beautiful Sutherland Shire. Sydney Water has a comprehensive plant selector tool. All you need to do is type in the name of your suburb and you’ll see a vast array of plants that will thrive in our soil and low water availability.

2. Theme your plantings

The trick to an appealing garden is to theme it. So think Tropical (palms, hibiscus), Desert (aloe vera, agave and Bird of Paradise in pebbles or rocks), Australian native (bottle brush, eucalypts, dianella or flax), Succulents (colourful pig face [Mesembryanthemum], cacti and Jade tree) or go Mediterranean with lavender, rosemary and terracotta pots of olive trees or geraniums. If you’re looking for inspiration, the Gardening Australia website has a host of fact sheets to help you.

3. Refresh your entertainment area

If you have a deck that’s looking a bit tired, get in a handyman or enlist some of the family to sand it down and give it a good oil. You’ll be protecting the wood and making the deck look more appealing to potential home buyers. If you have a built-in barbecue, now is the time to have it cleaned. If it has a vinyl cover, wipe it over with Armor All® to have it looking new again.

4. Clean or replace pavers

Unless they’re new, your pavers could likely do with a good pressure wash. If any are cracked, get them replaced.

5. Prepare your pool

If you have a pool, you need to make sure it’s sparkling for any buyer to look at. If you have cracked or missing tiles or faulty equipment, get it replaced now.

6. Minimise your lawn

Unless you have a rainwater tank, it’s going to be tricky to keep your grass green. Plus, in these days of ‘lock and leave’ lifestyles, not many potential home buyers want the drudgery of mowing. So either keep a small patch of lawn for the kids or replace it with a hardy ground cover like gazanias.

Need advice on preparing your home for sale?

Having navigated the home sale and downsizing process not only for our real estate clients but also for members of our own family, it’s an area in which we’ve amassed a wealth of knowledge. So don’t hesitate to seek out our help – no obligations.

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Michael & Rhiff Larkings

As a specialist team, focused on Caringbah South and the surrounding suburbs, we've been providing real estate services for over 20 years. With numerous real estate awards to our name, we're in the top echelon of licensed real estate agents in the Sutherland Shire. We regularly set new street, suburb and area sales records. Most importantly, we understand that real estate is a ‘people’ business where the development of relationships and trust, with both our clients and purchasers, is vital to achieving your all-important sales result.

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