Selling Houses: Psychological Effects of Landscaping

Buyers think they care more about the inside of theinstance, while jasmine adds a tropical feeling.
house than the landscaping, but in reality, most buyersRosemary and French lavender enhance
won't even get out of their car if the front landscapingMediterranean-style settings.
lacks the promise of great details inside. Therefore,Adding amenities for emotional support
your landscaping needs to arouse buyers'An alluring appeal begins with the access to your
expectations and entice them into viewing the inside ofhome. If you have no dedicated walkway to the front
your home.door, add a simple pathway. A wandering pathway to
When marketing your home, you'll get the highestthe front door psychologically feels better than a
return for your landscaping dollar when you employstraight-shot walkway. If you have a plain, straight
Design Psychology tactics. Design Psychology isconcrete walkway, create undulating flower beds on
based on scientific research into the underlyingeither side to encourage a relaxed, friendly feeling.
psychological effects of design on buyers, and theseAdding a water feature also enhances the ambiance,
innovative design ideas will help your home sell quickly,because moving water relaxes the body and mind and
and for more money, by influencing buyers' emotions.refreshes the spirit. You want to create a feeling of
Foliage Colorsbalance and harmony, like that found in nature.
Begin by coordinating the colors of your floweringStart on the landscaping before working in the interior
foliage. Think about your selling season and plan forof the house, in order to give plants time to grow, and
flowering plants that perform well during that time. Alsomake sure to plant the areas away from the house if
give thought to the desired atmosphere and use plantsyou're also planning to paint the exterior. You don't
to support that concept. For instance, tropical, desert,need to go overboard. Just plant enough to give an
forest, and beach environments all differ in plant types.impression of healthy growth and to lead a buyer's
Use a lot of green and white in your color scheme.attention away from any barren spaces through the
Green conjures feelings of coolness, freshness, anduse of focal points in the landscape.
vitality, while white flowers also suggest cleanliness,Another reason to start on the exterior is to motivate
and show up better at night, when many buyers will beyour neighbors to also begin sprucing up their
looking at houses. Since yellow is the first color ourproperties, because having your entire neighborhood
eyes process, yellow flowers by the front door attractlook good greatly enhances the value of your own
the buyer's eye from a distance.property.
Appealing to Buyers' Sense of SmellWell-conceived landscaping gives you the advantage
Give thought to the overall scents of flowering trees,when it comes to selling your house. If your home
bushes, vines, and flowers in your yard, and takemakes buyers feel good while they're on your
advantage of plants that support the desired emotionalproperty, you'll sell it quickly, and for top dollar!c)
outcome. Lemon-scented geraniums add refreshingCopyright 2004, Jeanette J. Fisher. All rights reserved.
scents that contribute to a desert oasis feel, for