During the course of my day-to-day duties as a turf care specialist and the owner and proprietor of the landscaping firm Carolina Turf Solutions, I receive a lot of requests from people who are putting their homes up for sale. Most times, they ask me to come over and do a detailed touch-up of their lawns, but sometimes they ask me to block off time to conduct a full-fledged makeover. 

There is a good reason for this: having a freshly manicured yard provides a beautiful, eye-catching frame for a home, greatly adding to what real estate professionals call ‘curb appeal’. For anyone who might not be aware, curb appeal refers to the overall attractiveness of a property from the street view, creating a positive first impression for potential buyers. Taking the steps necessary to increase curb appeal often increases the bids of potential buyers, helping homes sell faster and at a higher price. 

To put it in easy-to-understand terms, for every $1 invested in boosting curb appeal, sellers often garner a return of $1.50 when selling their property. And when we’re talking about transactions in the range of hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars, that extra fifty cents on the dollar can amount to a very large amount of money.

So, what do turf care specialists like myself do to increase a property’s perceived value by such a large factor? 

The first thing we focus on is lawn health. Alongside the exterior of the house itself, the front lawn is the first thing any prospective buyer sees when they have a look at a property, and a healthy, green lawn is key in creating a positive first impression. So, we fertilize, apply weed control, and make sure the grass is properly watered and mowed to the ideal height. Psychologically speaking, a lush, even lawn gives interested parties the impression that the house is well-cared for, making them feel much more confident about the property’s overall condition.

Next, we work on edging and defining garden beds. By creating clean, sharp edges between the lawn and flower beds, driveways, and walkways, we provide a sense of order and polish. This simple yet crucial step makes a yard look expertly maintained, even if it’s a relatively low-maintenance job. We also add or refresh the mulch in garden beds. Mulch not only looks tidy but also protects plants and helps retain moisture. Another critical factor is tree and shrub care. We prune overgrown trees and shrubs to create a more inviting and open feel to the yard. Overgrown plants can block views of the house or make the property look neglected. All of these actions give the landscape a fresh, well-maintained appearance that serves to enhance curb appeal.

Finally, we add finishing touches like planting seasonal flowers or sometimes even installing or updating an outdoor lighting system. Bright, colorful flowers add vibrancy and charm to a property, which is a step I always recommend when taking what I call ‘curb appeal jobs’. As for the outdoor lighting, I think of it more as an optional extra. It can highlight a home’s best features and make the yard feel more welcoming, especially at night, but it’s not what I would strictly call a necessity—it’s more of a nice-to-have feature for folks who want the premium treatment.

So, if the time has come to sell your house, it’s definitely in your best interest to make sure your yard is in tip-top condition. The most effective and hassle-free way to do this is to call a professional turf care specialist like myself to come over and work some magic on your lawn. The odds are good doing so will make you a bunch of extra money.