Browse Forums Real Estate 1 Sep 25, 2011 7:25 pm I'm in the process of packing up my home and tidying it up for sale. But I'm really in two minds about the backyard. My husband is fixing the paving a little to make it tidy, and we have established garden beds (native). We have chickens which are going to stay at my parents while we sell, but they have eaten all the grass ( well what was grass mixed with weeds). We didn't mind it, but it means that the backyard is sand with designated established garden beds. Its all tidy and clean etc, just sandy. Should I bother laying down some turf? Or should I just rake it to look tidy..what would best for a prospective buyer? A few friends have said just to lay turf down but a few have suggested leaving it incase any buyer wants to put in a pool or lay more paving. Is it going to make a huge difference? Any advice welcome Re: preparing backyard for sale. 3Sep 25, 2011 8:46 pm You don't get a second chance at a first impression. Sales are a real battle at the moment and you need every little bit of help you can get. Depending how much the cost and the size of the area, but a few bucks spent on some instant grass to make the backyard more inviting could make or break a sale. If they want a pool they can always rip it up. Re: preparing backyard for sale. 4Jan 26, 2012 2:50 pm We're doing the same - we had our courtyard/sideyard area tilled when we moved in, in anticipation of laying down turf but we ran out of money (the front looks wonderful though !!!). We're now going to be laying down turf (cheapest possible !) because as Eyspy says, first impressions count ! So for $300 (including hiring a Dingo for a day) it's worth it in the end. The only thing is that we laid down grass seeds at the back which has been patchy, and the blind side is just dirt - we just have no funds to finish it off....hopefully it'll be seen as a work in progress for someone to complete ! Re: preparing backyard for sale. 5Feb 04, 2012 2:16 pm I agree with the others. Presentation is everything. If potential buyers have more than one property on their short list then it may just mean the difference between them choosing your house over the others (or visa versa). Two similar properties asking similar prices - the deciding factor will come down to the little things, in most cases. The less work they envision they have to do the better. And don't "not do" something on the off chance that someone might want to do "something else" with it. Try to attract the majority of the buyers with a well maintained, finished product - its up to them what they decide to do with it. Go with whichever option you can best afford / or whichever one you think will look the best (hopefully its the same thing) Good luck. Been there, done that, very glad to tick it off the list! "Whoever says sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain!" I've filled, levelled and compacted around 100mm of roadbase in preparation to lay some outdoor court tiles. Prior to doing the final compaction, I dusted the top with… 0 3044 DIY, Home Maintenance & Repair That laser level looks lovely! We bought one for less than a quarter of that price off eBay. It worked really well for us and it's still going now, five years later. After… 1 16711 It's possible but a soak well is usually much larger. Your 'soak well' only holds 424 litres when full. What is your soil type? Soak wells need sandy soils. 10 9009 |