When you want to make a patio look great for an open house, there are several areas you’ll want to consider. It’s more than just sweeping it off and hoping that a buyer will see what they can really do with that space in the future. Instead, it’s important to show a buyer how the space can really be used to its fullest potential, so that buyer will be more interested in purchasing the house. The right patio design ideas mean the chance for a much better open house, and that can also mean a faster sale. For anyone who wants to get their house sold and has a patio, it’s important that they play up the space and show it off, so buyers can really see how they might use and enjoy it.
1). How clean is the patio, really?
Before starting on any kind of design ideas, the patio has to be clean. A lot of people just sweep off the obvious dirt or dust, and get started. After all, it’s an outdoor space, isn’t it? Even outdoor spaces can be clean, though. A patio that’s enclosed or even one that’s covered is easier to keep clean than one that’s open to the elements, but for an open house the level of cleanliness is much more important than it might be on a day-to-day basis. With that in mind, sweeping, mopping, dusting, and repairing any issues should all be handled before any of your design elements are placed. That way there’s no concern about the quality of the patio, and it looks like a clean, comfortable, safe place to use for all kinds of fun activities.
2). What kind of landscaping do you have?
Even if you’re not too concerned about the way your landscaping looks, the purchase of a home comes with outdoor space that should be kept up, just like the inside of the home. You can help your patio look well-designed and beautiful if you focus on ensuring that the landscaping around it is done right. Also take a look outward from the patio, and see what the landscaping looks like from that perspective. You don’t want people who come to the open house to see a great patio and a yard full of weeds, bare spots, or other landscape problems. That just signals more work for them if they buy the house, and could also give them concerns about how well the home and yard have been kept up by the current owners.
3). Is the furniture up to date?
The furniture that you have on the patio during an open house can really make a difference. Not only does it show potential buyers how they can best use the space, but it also gives them a chance to see the true size of a patio. Without furniture, it’s harder to judge space and determine what might fit. That’s true of rooms in a home, and also true of outdoor spaces. Even if you have furniture there, though, you want to make sure it’s furniture that’s in good shape and fits with the rest of the look and feel of the home. Your old patio furniture that you’ve had for years may not be the right choice, and it could be better to choose something more modern and updated.
While it’s true that people will be buying the house and not the furniture, that doesn’t mean that the furniture should be ignored. For some buyers, furniture and other design points can really make or break whether they like a house they see. You don’t want to lose a sale simply because there wasn’t any furniture on your patio. If you only plan to use it for the open house, or you just want to have it there for staging, look into rental options in your area. Then you won’t need to buy a lot of furniture just to make the patio look like a cozy place. You can also consider repainting your current patio furniture and using new cushions, which can give it a great new look for not a lot of money.
4). Where will that extra clutter go?
People who are buying a home don’t want to see a lot of extra clutter. If you have a lot of things on your patio, it’s very important that you de-clutter and organize efficiently. You can’t design a comfortable patio that feels easy to use if you have to step over and around things all the time. There are some great outdoor patio storage options available today, and taking advantage of those is a good way to protect your outdoor items from damage and keep them put away until you need them. Whether that’s toys your kids play with, hoses and gardening supplies, lighting and decorations for parties, or anything else, a good storage space for those things on your patio can really make a difference.
By the time you tuck everything away, put out some great new furniture, set the table for a garden party, and clean up the patio and the landscaping, you’ll have a space that looks warm and inviting. Then you can welcome potential buyers to your open house, where they can appreciate the beauty of your yard and patio area, and see everything they could enjoy if they bought the house. It won’t guarantee a sale, but it can go a long way toward helping encourage the right buyer.
2 Point Highlight
When you want to make a patio look great for an open house, there are several areas you’ll want to consider.
If you have a lot of things on your patio, it’s very important that you de-clutter and organize efficiently.
