In areas like central Texas where there are many temperate times to enjoy the outdoors, decks can be a real selling point for a house. That is, if it’s in good condition and staged well. If not, it can be seen as more of an eye sore than a value add.
If you’re about to list your home on the market or already have it up for sell, these tips can help you showcase your outdoor space to help sell your home quicker.
Keep It Clean
An unkempt deck will automatically make buyers question how well it’s been maintained right down to its structural integrity. Don’t let cleanliness overshadow the rest of the deck.
- If grime, dirt, mold and mildew has built up on the decking use a deck cleaner to knock it off. Then move on to the next step, seal and stain.
- If there’s a lot of junk sitting around start organizing. Get rid of anything you don’t use or is no longer operable. The name of the game here is to de-clutter so your deck isn’t hidden under a mess.
- Scrub your outdoor kitchen area until it shines. This is a big time bonus area in BBQ-obsessed Texas. But you don’t want to turn buyers’ stomachs with a dirty outdoor kitchen.
Seal and Stain
Just like painting interior walls, sealing and staining your deck will give you a great return on your investment. Decking that hasn’t been sealed and/or stained in more than two years will definitely need a pick me up to reverse the signs of aging.
After thoroughly cleaning the decking use a sealer like Sikkens SRD to lock in that refreshed look. Depending on the age, type of wood and condition of your deck a sealer may be enough to give it a buyer-friendly facelift. If it needs a little more color consider layering on a stain after the sealer. Just make sure it’s something natural that doesn’t clash with your home’s exterior or the rest of the outdoor décor.
Accessorize to Add to the Appeal
Even a well-kept deck can be dressed up to really make it stand out. In the real estate world this is the core of what’s called staging an area. The key with a deck is to focus on making it feel like an extension of the indoors.
Make It Inviting – By completing the suggestions above you’ll make your deck a more inviting space, one that has a welcoming feel right off the bat. You may also want to consider laying down a cheerful mat at the door that welcomes people into the outdoor living area.
Make It Comfortable – If you don’t have a seating area add one on with a set of outdoor furniture. It helps the buyer envision relaxing out on the deck rather having to image what they would do with a wide-open, empty deck. Also get cushions for built in seating, add an umbrella or awning if there isn’t a shaded area and consider adding an outdoor fan.
Make It Attractive – We’ve all seen the pictures of professionally designed outdoor spaces. They really make an impact. You can use a lot of the same practices for interior design out on your deck. Bring the design elements from inside your home out to your deck to give it a cohesive feel. Use accessories with a similar color scheme and add artwork that’s the same style as what’s inside.
Make It Functional – Function equals value in the mind of buyers. If a deck has a grill and cooking space then it becomes an extra kitchen. If an outdoor space has a nice table and chairs it’s now a second dining area. If there’s a shaded nook with seating the deck doubles as a den. In other words, the more livable you make your deck the more functional it becomes.
Staging a deck can be an inexpensive venture with an extremely high return on investment. Before you put your home on the market, put a little effort into sprucing up your outdoor space to make the entire package more enticing.
If you’ve spruced up your deck share your pictures with us know Facebook!
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