About "garden"

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DH and I are thinking about moving to Wales. Our garden is a mess, overgrown and weeds everywhere. I want to fix it up not only for our enjoyment but to increase the value of our property when we move.

He thinks it's a waste of time and money but I strongly disagree. What do you think?

He also tends to think he's right about lots of stuff so this has annoying me more than it should have

He's being lazy. An overgrown garden will put buyers off. If you visibly neglect something so obvious, it suggests the house may have other hidden problems even if it doesn't.

See I didn't even think of it from that angle! Thankyou! And I agree, it's lazy

You're quite right, the house will have a higher value if the garden is neat and tidy.
You've both let it get into this state though so it needs to be a joint effort to clear it up. A gardener for a day with the right tools can work wonders though.

A tidy garden improves the saleability of a house. A landscaped garden increases the actual value as well. Ask any estate agent. I have just finished a garden project and the before and after photos are like night and day!

Agree with pp. it has to be somewhat decent as garden tend to reflect the owner’s attitude towards the house. A well looked after garden usually indicates a good house worth the investment. For a buyer to commit they have to pay for the first layer of cost (solicitor, surveyor etc) which is totally lost if major issues are dug up. A waste land of a garden is a warning sign for many.
It doesn’t make a house more expensive than others but it will attract more offers so you don’t have to settle for less than asking (provided asking price is realistic and not 15% on top of what it should be in anticipation of haggling). So in a way a good garden does add value in a more meaningful way.

Well a nice tidy garden is not going to put buyers off is it, whereas s scruffy one might like pp said.

Just tidy lawn and maybe some plants and flowers in borders, you don’t need to spend loads. Then it’s sort of a blank canvas for new owner but also an area they can instantly use

Some large plants in pots which you can take with you too.

Get weeding now, before spring growth kicks in. Also, if you need to prune trees, hedges, etc you should do it before 1st March to avoid disturbing nesting birds.

Tidy up the garden or it implies the house has been neglected. Like clutter, which implies lack of storage, an overgrown garden suggests it’s either high maintenance or you haven’t taken care of it, so buyers will be put off.

I’d get a gardener to give it a good tidy up if time is an issue. Or cover the weeds with wet cardboard then a thick layer of mulch (the worms will turn those areas into lovely no-dig flower beds for you, so you could put some cheap plants or flowering ground cover in to add appeal).

I'm lucky in that we have a wonderful lady who does garden maintainence, including big clear up jobs. I would look to see if there's someone similar local to you. Ours is only about £20 an hour, and she earns every penny. Ours looked like a different garden by the time she was done.

If a see an unkempt garden I would be looking for what else you haven't looked after
Totally illogical I know I would

You definitely should at least weed and tidy up the garden before putting the house up for sale. You don't have to go overboard with landscaping or planting but the garden can be a big selling point for a lot of people.

Our garden was a shit show when we moved in - DH and I have often said, if they'd sorted it before putting it on the market it would have made the house easier for them to sell.

Get a blitz done so you just have to mow - I think it would def decrease value IMO

definitely fix it up, it could turn off potential buyers

Yeah definitely fix it up
It would put me off if I thought I had to do all that once I’d bought the house

It doesn't have to be neatly landscaped and I'd not be put off by a garden that is tidy, but clearly the garden of someone who doesn't really like gardening.

I would be put off by a garden that was clearly neglected, overgrown and a bit of a shit show.

He's being lazy.

A nice, neat garden is a selling point best, but at worst, but it's not going to put people off.

Whereas a scruffy, overgrown garden WILL put people off and could lower the value of the house too. As a buyer, I would wonder what else the owners were neglecting.

In the summer our garden is the best room in an already nice house. It’s sad you aren’t getting the enjoyment from it already. Now’s a good time of year to cut back and sort. Lots of garden maintenance people are free now, too. If you wait until spring they won’t be as interested or available.

Do it.

A tidy garden is a must when selling. As said a neglected garden suggests other things in the house might be neglected. You will probably recoup the cost of getting the garden tidied. My DH and I renovated and sold properties for years so some tips are:
Kerb appeal. Make sure the front of the house is weed free/ rubbish free. Grass cut. Clean windows. Make sure door and entrance area are clean.
Get rid of any garden rubbish, broken pots, dead plants.
Cut grass. Sweep paths or hose the bits of soil off them.
No dog poo!!!

If I was buying g even if the garden wasn't 5i my taste I would be more likely to get a better overall impression if it was tidy.

You're right 100 times over, he is wrong, is it completely doable yourself? if so it will just cost you your time, no actual cash outlay.

I think it depends on how buoyant the house market is in your area at the moment - if houses are selling really quickly it may not be worth the expense and effort. If there’s lots in the market then I’d tidy it up.

There's quite a few houses selling and honestly there's a lot I could do myself, the hardest part would be keeping the dog out the way. We only moved in about a year ago and the tenants had let the grass completely die