Boost the value of your property with a well maintained landscaping.

4. Landscaping: Mow the Lawn

A property that has a well manicured lawn has one of the best chances at showing pride in ownership than any other outdoor technique. For one thing, there is a large upswing in the priority that homeowners place in their outdoor living spaces.

Therefore, the landscaping of your front yard (especially) as well as that of your back yard should look its very best when its selling time. Your landscaping will make a huge contribution to the resale value of your home, so make sure that its doing its best to help you out. Your motives for selling

In fact, studies have shown that when the landscaping of a home is in excellent condition, it can sell for about 4 to 5 percent higher, while homes with landscaping in very poor condition can sell for 8 to 10 percent less. That's a huge difference in the overall selling price of your home.

You might be wondering exactly how much time you should dedicate to sprucing up the landscape of your property. How much time and money is worth it for your sale?

Even if you put a minimal amount of money, effort, and time in to your landscaping, it will help you in selling your property, and perhaps even getting a boost in the selling price. Every effort you make will help. Getting serious and getting ready for property selling

However, don't overdo it. Remember that its not a selling feature; its only something to help the overall appeal of your property, so that the other selling features will be better appreciated.

You should keep your lawn mowed so that it is even, and neatly short. Keep it well weeded, as these will only appear as blemishes to your landscaping. Make sure to use a weed eater to do the edges, as this gives your work a superior finish touch. If there are any bald patches in your lawn, buy a small bag of seed and care for the spot, filling it in. This is especially important if you have a dog who digs or who leaves pet damage where s/he does his or her business. Fixing all appliances

After you fill in the dead spots that your dog has left, make sure to water the areas after your dog waters, to prevent new dead patches from forming. Watering the areas will dilute the urine to stop it from burning the grass.

This effort makes an immeasurable difference in the overall neatness of the house, and the impression that it will leave potential buyers. Letting the word out

5. Keep Porches and Railings in Good Repair

After taking a beating from the elements, and having worn from time, porch railings have been known to become wobbly. This is a safety hazard, to say the least, but its also very unattractive.

Railings that are loose can damage the steps to which they're attached. This can only mean a higher cost for repairs that are made, in order to ensure that the steps are safe.

If your railing is a bit loose, have a good look at it. Many times all that is required is a tightening of bolts, and the railing is as good as new. Deciding on the property price

The majority of porch railings are attached with lag bolts; these are large screws with a head that looks like a bolt. Should these become loose, all you need is an adjustable wrench to tighten them (turning them clockwise remember: leftie = loosie and rightie = tightie).

At times, if the railings have been screwed into the brick of your home, the sheath may have broken or worn down. If this happens to your railing, you need to replace the sheath. Don't worry; this is neither expensive nor costly. You can buy them at any hardware store. When you remove the screws and sheaths to replace them, the railing will come off, so be sure you're ready to support it and then put it somewhere. You'll need a screwdriver and about twenty minutes to accomplish this task. Advertising your house

Once the new sheath is in place, just screw the railing back on. Make sure to test the railing for security when you get it on again. If you are extremely challenged in the home-repair department, or if you simply don't have a moment to spare, you can always hire a professional to do the job. They'll cost anywhere from R256 to R640 per hour to do the job.

6. Maintain Shutters

Shutters can be a charming touch to any property. When they're well maintained and in good shape, they can add a warm, comforting touch to brick, stone, or just about any other finish.

However, if they're not well maintained, and are in bad shape, they are one of the fastest ways to make your home appear to be neglected; especially to prospective buyers.

Fortunately, they don't take a lot of skill or time to repair if they're looking a little bit rough. When it comes to the majority of shutters, a quick sanding and one or two coats of exterior house paint can make your shutters look as good as if they were new. Though it might take a little bit of extra time, its wise to remove the shutters from the house before you start sanding and painting them. You can make an excellent work table out of an old plank or door set up on two sawhorses.What do you want from selling your house?

Clean the shutters of any dirt with a clean rag, then give them a light sanding. Wipe them again, to remove the dust from sanding. Now they're ready to be painted.

You can either spray paint them, or brush on the paint; either will give a nice end result. They will need either one or two coats, depending on your preference, and the appearance you want to attain. Make sure that they've been allowed to dry fully before you reattach them to your home.