Selling in spring? How to make your garden attractive to buyers

Spring has finally sprung, and with confidence returning to the market it is the ideal time for those who have been thinking about selling their home to consider taking the plunge. Here, in the first of our series of articles about adding value to your home ahead of a sale, we take a look at how to make your garden more attractive to buyers.

House-hunters love great gardens, and if you can add attractive features to the rear of your property without breaking the bank, you will find it a lot easier to generate interest without having to drop your asking price.

If you are looking to sell your property, do not fill the back garden with large plastic children's slides, paddling pools or related paraphernalia. Keep these items out of the way because they will be used once or twice a year and then will gather cobwebs and rust, sending out the wrong message to prospective buyers.

Instead, less is more. Buying some attractive and smart garden furniture needn't cost a fortune these days and there are plenty of retailers who stock chair and table sets that are simple and smart. If your outdoor furniture is looking worn and old, a smart new look (without going overboard on cost, we are trying to make money here, not spend it) will give off a good impression to the buyer.

Decking has grown in popularity in recent years, partly because it is a stylish and cost-effective way of transforming the outdoors environment. It is cheaper to install than a patio and less labour-intensive - ideal for quickly and cheaply adding value to the back garden.

It might be an idea to add a new shed, particularly if the old one has seen better days - a battered old lean-to in the back garden is unlikely to be very attractive. It is far better to spend a little and have a smart new look that will appeal to the prospective buyer.