Selling Houses: Psychological Effects of Landscaping

Buyers think they care more about the inside of the house than the landscaping, but in reality, most buyers won't even get out of their car if the front landscaping lacks the promise of great details inside. Therefore, your landscaping needs to arouse buyers' expectations and entice them into viewing the inside of your home.

When marketing your home, you'll get the highest return for your landscaping dollar when you employ Design Psychology tactics. Design Psychology is based on scientific research into the underlying psychological effects of design on buyers, and these innovative design ideas will help your home sell quickly, and for more money, by influencing buyers' emotions.

Foliage Colors

Begin by coordinating the colors of your flowering foliage. Think about your selling season and plan for flowering plants that perform well during that time. Also give thought to the desired atmosphere and use plants to support that concept. For instance, tropical, desert, forest, and beach environments all differ in plant types.

Use a lot of green and white in your color scheme. Green conjures feelings of coolness, freshness, and vitality, while white flowers also suggest cleanliness, and show up better at night, when many buyers will be looking at houses. Since yellow is the first color our eyes process, yellow flowers by the front door attract the buyer's eye from a distance.

Appealing to Buyers' Sense of Smell

Give thought to the overall scents of flowering trees, bushes, vines, and flowers in your yard, and take advantage of plants that support the desired emotional outcome. Lemon-scented geraniums add refreshing scents that contribute to a desert oasis feel, for instance, while jasmine adds a tropical feeling. Rosemary and French lavender enhance Mediterranean-style settings.

Adding amenities for emotional support

An alluring appeal begins with the access to your home. If you have no dedicated walkway to the front door, add a simple pathway. A wandering pathway to the front door psychologically feels better than a straight-shot walkway. If you have a plain, straight concrete walkway, create undulating flower beds on either side to encourage a relaxed, friendly feeling. Adding a water feature also enhances the ambiance, because moving water relaxes the body and mind and refreshes the spirit. You want to create a feeling of balance and harmony, like that found in nature.

Start on the landscaping before working in the interior of the house, in order to give plants time to grow, and make sure to plant the areas away from the house if you're also planning to paint the exterior. You don't need to go overboard. Just plant enough to give an impression of healthy growth and to lead a buyer's attention away from any barren spaces through the use of focal points in the landscape.

Another reason to start on the exterior is to motivate your neighbors to also begin sprucing up their properties, because having your entire neighborhood look good greatly enhances the value of your own property.

Well-conceived landscaping gives you the advantage when it comes to selling your house. If your home makes buyers feel good while they're on your property, you'll sell it quickly, and for top dollar!

c) Copyright 2004, Jeanette J. Fisher. All rights reserved.

Professor Jeanette Fisher, author of Doghouse to Dollhouse for Dollars, Joy to the Home, and other books teaches Real Estate Investing and Design Psychology. For more articles, tips, reports, newsletters, and sales flyer template, see http://www.doghousetodollhouse fordollars.com/pages/5/index.htm

---

Quality of Life in Sussex County Delaware. Facts, Statistics, Observations and even opinions!

We Sussex Countians are fortunate in many ways as we... Read More

NAHB?s Voluntary Model Green Home Building Guidelines

The voluntary Model Green Home Building Guidelines are designed to... Read More

Lease Options or Rent to Own?

Finding a rent-to-own house is one of the many ways... Read More

Real Estate Business

Starting real estate business is not that simple. Multiple aspects... Read More

Property Investing

Wrapping a property is a simple concept that can create... Read More

Why You Need a Lender to Sell Your Home

Home sellers who are prepared to help buyers find financing... Read More

Basic Tips for First Time Home Buyers

Choosing a first home can be a daunting task, but... Read More

Buying Land Online

In the old days people generally only bought land and... Read More

A Powerful Suggested Technique for YOUR Home & Property Search

A Powerful Suggested Technique for YOUR Home & Property Search... Read More

A Possible Bargain: Foreclosed Properties

In the superheated San Francisco Bay Area property market, foreclosed... Read More

Choosing a Realtor

Purchasing a property, either as an investor or as a... Read More

For Sale By Owner - Use This Tip To Sell Your Home Quicker and At a Better Price

Your house is for sale by owner (fsbo), Along with... Read More

3 of the 5 Ways Real Estate Can Take Advantage of Blogs and RSS

Earlier this month, Realtor Magazine announced that they would be... Read More

Credit Help: Buying Real Estate -- Not the Same as Buying Cars

Credit for Buying Real Estate is Different than Credit for... Read More

OPM - The Art of Leveraging

Equity lender, hard money lender, private investor or what ever... Read More

Home Not Selling In Todays Hot Market? Tips and Ideas to Help You Sell

So, your selling your home. Prepare yourself both physically and... Read More

Boston Real Estate ? You Still Have Considerable Control Over the Sale of Your Boston Home

Boston real estate is a hot topic. Daily newspaper articles... Read More

Transforming Doghouses into Dollhouses

Successful real estate investing depends largely on a correct assessment... Read More

Buying Property in Spain - How to Avoid Paying over the Odds

Spain has a lot to offer Northern Europeans and until... Read More

Secrets of Making Money from Real Estate - Part 4

Analyzing and finding the right property deals:Firstly read my other... Read More

Do You Want To Sell Your Rehabs Fast?

That's an obvious question ? we all do! So what... Read More

You Have 15 Seconds to Sell Your Home! 11 Steps You Can Take to Sell Your Home for Top Dollar

Selling your home? Here are some suggestions to help you... Read More

Real Estate: Choose a Realtor You Can Trust

Today's volatile real estate market involves complex laws and fluctuating... Read More

Selling Houses: Flooring & Feelings

Buyers think they love Italian tile and other hard floor... Read More

Fixing Houses for Resale: Three Beginning Steps to Increase Profits and Have Fun

Real estate investors specializing in fixers make higher profits when... Read More

Investment Real Estate Secret: Buy a House Today, With No Money Down

If you've read my article "Purchasing Property With No Money... Read More

Are You Tired of Tenants, Toilets, and Trash?

Wouldn't you rather go to Tahiti? Are you a landlord... Read More

Young Couple Buys Ranch with Government Money

Kirk and Tina Sczepanik had a dream. They wanted a... Read More

Talk to a Lender Before You Sell Your Home

If you're looking to sell your home quickly, and for... Read More

Writing on the Wall - Are REITs a Better Investment for You?

When I was a young child I had many annoying... Read More

Grab Quick Profits As Real Estate Prices Soar

Real estate values rise and fall in cycles. Currently home... Read More

Top Ten Suggestions for Selecting a Real Estate Agent

In order to find a real estate broker or agent... Read More

Fixer Uppers: Dont Make This Mistake

Making money with "fixer-uppers" isn't about repairing drywall or planting... Read More