Weeding the garden, edging the flower bed and keeping the lawn trimmed are bare-minimum musts for those selling a home. But what will catch a buyer's eye?
Here are a few picture-perfect ways to perk up your home's appeal, despite the heat and humidity.
MAKE YOUR GARDEN POP
Jennifer Hanley, vice president of marketing services for the Scotts Co., prefers mulch that complements the color of a home's brick, siding or paint, but "right now we would recommend going with a darker color. Lighter shades tend to blend in with how the lawn looks. It will make it look like you have really rich soil," Hanley says.
GREEN(ER) GRASS
"At this time of year, if you're selling your house, water the heck out of your grass to make it lush and green," says Mark Schneider, a realtor with Comey and Shepherd in West Chester Township.
SCALE BACK THE FOLIAGE
Mature trees and bushes can take over a yard.
"It has to be in proportion to the house. If you've got juniper bushes that are three or four feet over a window, you're hiding the house," Schneider says.
DON'T COLOR BY NUMBERS
Colorful flowers should be eye-catching, not stare-inducing.
"Don't junk it up with a bunch of different perennials," says John Smith, co-owner of No Limits Landscaping Inc., in Maineville.
An average front lawn can incorporate seven to 12 different plant types, but coordinate types of plants, Smith says.
THINK LONG-TERM
If you need to spring for new grass or plants, consider what will appeal to buyers in the winter and what won't require much upkeep if you move before selling your home.
"I like evergreens because, in today's market, you might be sitting on (a house) in the winter. You want some color year-round," Smith says.
Try mixing different shades of evergreen, from light green to hints of burgundy.
Sally Jacobsen, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker West Shell in Milford, recommends buffalo grass, which grows to just 4 inches and only has to be mowed a few times a year.
UPDATE THE APPEAL
Curb appeal is useless if no one sees it.
"Everybody needs to get their realtor out there and take new pictures each season," Jacobsen says. "If you do anything new, take a new picture."
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