To get the best price for your property, sellers must think of the garden as another room. A well-manicured lawn was found to be the most desirable external feature demanded by home hunters (69 per cent). Closely followed by double glazing (69 per cent) and a parking space (59 per cent).

To make a good first impression, giving your garden a makeover is one of the best ways to insure maximum kerb appeal. Just some of the things you can do that won’t break the bank include:

• Mow the lawn.
• Trim the hedges and cut back overgrown shrubs.
• Remove and restock any tired looking plants.
• Fill redundant areas with bark, light stones or granite.
• Jet wash the patio and surfaces.
• Dress the garden furniture: open up the sun umbrella, light the chimera or set the table.
• Add some hanging baskets.
• Remove broken or redundant kids toys and trampolines – if they are in good condition, they can act as a bargaining tool for you.

One key factor to remember is your prospective buyer. Who are you selling the property to? If you are marketing your property as a major renovation project to take on, then the garden won’t matter as much. But if it is a family or a young couple, who will want to move straight in without having to worry about the hassle of a garden refurbishment, then these simple solutions can make all the difference. 

Even with a perceived shortage of homes on the market right now, it doesn’t mean buyers are any less fussy. Competition in the UK housing market is still fierce. If you have an unkempt garden, it will give any prospective buyer greater bargaining power and the potential to leave you out of pocket.