Eight Ways to Quickly Transform Your Outdoor Space into a Summer Oasis to Attract Buyers

Can a good yard get your home sold faster? The summer buying season is the ideal time to showcase the relaxation your home can offer! The “escape” factor is big for potential buyers who can’t wait to get an oasis of their own. Homebuyers are picturing places where they can relax in the shade, spend time with family, unplug from the grind, and entertain guests. If your home can provide an outdoor oasis, it jumps spaces ahead of comparable homes on the market.

The cabin-fever phenomenon created by the pandemic has caused a good outdoor space to become one of the top considerations among homebuyers! According to an article published in House Digest, 90% of real estate agents said that a deteriorating landscape hurts market value. You’re throwing an opportunity by not dressing up your outdoor space! Here’s a look at eight ways to transform your outdoor space into a summer oasis to attract buyers.

1. Add Outdoor Seating

If you’re not up for a major project, adding good outdoor seating is one of the best ways to increase the appeal of your home’s outdoor space in a pinch. If your existing deck or patio is bare, purchase some outdoor furniture that invites visitors to settle into some cushions and pillows while enjoying the fresh air. If you can arrange the new seating around a “coffee table” propane fire pit, you’re golden! Other features that can make your outdoor space suddenly feel like extra square footage include an outdoor rug, a shade sail, privacy curtains, and string lights.

2. Make a Feasting Space

Don’t underestimate the appeal of an oversized outdoor dining table! If you already have a grilling area, turn your patio or deck into a full-scale spot for outdoor dining. While any home can have a standard round patio table with seating for four, your property can stand out as a great spot for entertaining with the addition of a long, rectangular table with seating for up to 10 or 12. Dress the table up with seat cushions, lanterns, and other touches that create the perfect setting for a midsummer feast.

3. Add a Patio

If your home’s back door leads to a plain patch of grass, buyers could have a hard time envisioning the property’s full potential. While building a deck is a big investment, building a quick patio area could be worth the effort. You could even do a simple DIY brick patio by laying bricks over compacted gravel. This simple, subtle patio design brings a cottage-inspired look to your home that will have potential buyers dreaming of summer garden parties.

4. Tear Down an Old Pool

Do you have an old above-ground pool that’s on its last leg? Buyers see an old above-ground pool as a future expense and liability. It can also look sloppy in a yard.

5. Add Greenery to Create Privacy

Does your yard feel very exposed? Potential buyers dreaming of a backyard oasis may be turned off if they can see directly into the yards or homes of your neighbors. Some green can fix that! Consider adding some strategic greenery around your yard to naturally block views in and out of your yard. Evergreens are generally best for this. However, homeowners trying to optimize their yards on a budget can consider ornamental grasses that grow tall. Just keep in mind that some grasses won’t provide year-round privacy outside of summer and later parts of the spring because they go dormant in the fall and winter.

5. Add Strategic Privacy Fencing

If you’d like to add more privacy around a patio, consider installing just a few fencing panels to slightly “box in” the patio. This can have the effect of making your patio feel almost like an extra room! You can also use these new vertical structures to create “green walls” that are covered in different plants or flowers.

7. Add Lighting

Incorporating lighting into your backyard design creates a warm, welcoming space. There are several ways to brighten things up in your yard. If you’re simply looking for a DIY update you can get done in a few hours, consider stringing bistro lights over your deck or patio. This requires a few strings of light with some anchoring poles. If you’re ready to invest a little more into lighting things up, bring in an electrician to add some new flood-light fixtures that will illuminate the entire deck or patio. You can also create a fairytale garden by adding solar lighting fixtures or stakes in various areas of your landscaping.

8. Add a Tire Swing or Hammock

By the time the average buyer today shows up for a home tour, they’ve already spent hours and hours on Instagram, Zillow, and other platforms looking at “dream” homes with picture-perfect aesthetics. Show them that your home fits the profile by adding an idyllic tire swing or hammock. One fun way to do this is to use a wood beam to anchor the swing or hammock between two trees on your property to create a “summer cottage” or “summer camp” look. When going with a hammock, look for whimsical crochet or “boho” hammocks instead of the usual camping hammocks.