Garden Zones To Help Sell Your Home
The start of spring is typically a buoyant and busy season for the property sector. The warmer weather encourages homeowners to market a property or make upgrades in preparation for when they're ready to sell.
The welcome appearance of the sunny days gives others the impetus to start gardening again or improving any outside areas they have. As many estate agents now agree, having presentable outdoor spaces, and specifically a south-facing garden, can be a unique selling point, so enhancing your exterior spaces can add value when you do decide to move.
Sellers are increasingly looking for ways to make their homes stand out and gardens offer enormous potential to reflect a desirable lifestyle. This guide looks at thoughtfully designed zones to transform an ordinary garden into an attractive feature that welcomes prospective buyers.
Upgrading The 'Fifth Room'
Property experts often refer to gardens as 'the fifth room', acknowledging the value people place on having extra space for an additional room or zone. A popular, contemporary garden is not simply a neatly manicured lawn with a few borders but is an extension of their living space. Today's buyers want to see gardens transformed to offer another room altogether, and with options to have anything from a covered bar, a cosy lounge with a fire pit, or a canopy-enclosed courtyard.
The key is to divide your garden into dedicated zones, creating areas where you can dine, entertain, relax, and even exercise in. When potential buyers view the property, they're not just investing in bricks and mortar but are buying into a lifestyle. A well-zoned garden helps them visualise how they could live in and enjoy the spaces. This can also translate into faster sales and an offer you'll be happy to accept.
Working Out in a Dedicated Garden Room
The growing emphasis on health and wellbeing has influenced garden design, with many buyers now looking for spaces where they can blend fitness with leisure. Fitness buffs are increasingly investing in a garden room for their morning stretch and dedicated space for equipment. Similarly, thanks to companies like Golf Swing Systems even golf enthusiasts can now practice their sport in the comfort of a dedicated garden studio.
Such purpose built structures offer far more than simple storage, with the potential to be personal sanctuaries. Homeowners can easily store golf clubs, set up a Peloton bike, hang a boxing punch bag or create a serene corner for yoga, within a single, purpose built area. The ideal space might include a level, dedicated space for workout equipment, with the added flexibility to double as a tranquil environment for home working too.
Designing Al Fresco Dining Areas
One of the most appealing garden zones for buyers is a dedicated dining area and outdoor kitchen. Instead of dragging the BBQ out only when the sunshine arrives, creating a specific alfresco cooking and dining area in your garden is on trend. The dining zone can be achieved with a level paved or decked area with space for a table and chairs. You can add privacy with planters or trellises while pergolas, gazebos and stylish awnings provide essential protection from the changeable weather.
Likewise, if you position the area to catch the evening sun, subtle lighting can extend into summer evenings, creating a magical atmosphere. With sustainability becoming increasingly important to property buyers, eco-friendly garden features are now highly desirable too. So, for maximum impact and to make your garden energy-efficient, consider statement lighting or installing solar panels for attractive exteriors that are well lit, greener and prettier.
Inviting Spaces To Socialise In
Beyond dining al fresco, dedicated socialising areas have become increasingly important following the pandemic, when many people rediscovered their gardens as venues for gatherings. These zones differ from dining areas by emphasizing comfort and conversation rather than eating.
Effective socialising zones typically include comfortable, weather-resistant seating arranged in conversation-friendly groupings that encourage interaction. A focal point such as a fire pit or water feature draws people together and creates ambiance. Shelter from both sun and rain ensures the space can be used regardless of weather conditions, and defined boundaries through planting or structural elements help create a sense of enclosure and intimacy.
Carving Out Attractive Zones For Less
Zoning a garden doesn't necessarily require extensive landscaping or expensive features. Simple techniques can be impactful and instantly transform your outside space into distinct and multi-purpose areas. Use different materials for different zones such as gravel, tiling, decking, and paving to visually separate the space. Employ planting to create natural dividers that add privacy and definition.
When selling, how you present the zones that you've carved out is very important to creating that best first impression. Just as with your interiors, showcasing a great-looking garden can attract interest from online viewings, so beautifying garden zones with stylish furniture and durable accessories can go a long way.
The right look can also help potential buyers to imagine how they will enjoy the space once they've purchased the property. Perhaps, set a table up for dining with a vase of flowers, add a flurry of comfortable cushions to outside seats, and a colourful throw over a sunken sofa to add visual interest and appeal.
Thoughtfully dividing your garden into zones can be a huge selling point that appeals to today's buyers. You're not just selling a patch of lawn but rather the reality of high-quality outdoor living that can be anything from a space to socialise with friends or exercise in peace.
The featured property is an impressive, beautifully presented house that combines elegant traditional and contemporary design, situated in a tranquil setting.. Available for sale April 2025. For the full listing click here
