Struggling to sell your home? Blame your garden! Location, Location, Location's Phil Spencer says buyers are pickier than ever as he reveals the top outdoor mistakes owners make
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Phil Spencer has revealed his top garden 'turn-offs' which could be decreasing the property value of your home.
It comes as owners up and down the country admit they're struggling to get any offers in - with 'it's a buyers' market' appearing to be the phrase on every estate agent's lips.
As such, prospective purchasers are pickier than ever, so making sure you're putting your house's best features on show during viewings is key.
The Location, Location, Location presenter says one often ignored area which could make or break the sale is the outside space - with owners keeping overgrown shrubs, mossy ponds and bizarre statues.
'The garden is as important and as valuable as a room,' he exclusively told the Daily Mail. 'And it needs to be treated as such. So, it does need to be looked after, it needs to be presented.
'You walk into a garden that's full of dog poo, it's an immediate turn off. And I see it. It's such a basic "don't do that". Clean up after you go.'
Phil, who is also a Wickes ambassador, said the key is keeping your garden full of life. 'Personally, for me, a garden is about plants, greenery, and nature. So as long as you keep those things good,' he added.
'I love a garden, it's super important to me. And when I was house hunting, when I'd arrive at the house, the first thing I wanted to do was look around the back. What does it look like? Are there any trees? What would we do? How easy will it be to look after?'
Read on to discover Phil's list of common garden mistakes that could be making buyers think twice.
Phil Spencer (pictured) has revealed his top garden 'turn-offs' - which could be decreasing the property value of your home
Garden turn-offs
Fussy and overgrown gardens
Having flourishing trees and flowers is key for a nice garden - but anything overgrown and overly busy is just going to strike fear into the hearts of buyers.
'A fussy garden is going to require a lot of maintenance,' Phil said. 'It might look amazing, and it might well sell you that house.
'But if you buy that, though, you have to look after it. So anything that's overgrown, overly fussy, or full of like massive tunnels is a no.'
Random mirrors
Phil said that mirrors can work well - but if done badly, can feel a little random and unthought.
'With mirrors, you need to be careful,' he explained. 'It's a sensitive one though, because if used correctly, they can be great, especially in a small garden where they can help reflect light and make the space feel bigger.
'But it's about making sure they feel natural and work with the garden, rather than just being added as a quick fix.
'If they're badly positioned or don't fit with the style of the space, they can look a little forced and take away from the garden rather than enhance it.'
Uncared for water features
Some consider running water a crucial feature when it comes to a garden.
However, Phil said that these only work if they are properly maintained.
'Personally, I'm not a fan of water features,' he admitted. 'I get it, but if you don't look after them, they can start to get mossy.'
It comes as owners up and down the country admit they're struggling to get any offers in - with 'it's a buyers' market' appearing to be the phrase on every estate agent's lips. Stock image used
Unfinished projects
'I hate seeing unfinished projects,' Phil shared. 'You go out of the house, and somebody's had a go doing the patio... And it's not finished.
'The decking is falling half off. If you're going to do a project, finish it.
'Something we do see quite regularly is you walk into the garden, you go, "Ah, yeah, there's a COVID project. Someone's built a bar... A mini shed."'
Statues which are off theme
While statues can add a lot of flair to a place, they also risk parodying the garden of the hotel where you last had your holiday.
Phil explained that pieces which are personal and make sense with the context of the place and people who live there can be nice.
'I have to be careful how I answer that. Kirstie gave me a statue,' he divulged.
'It's a Cocker Spaniel. I have two Cocker Spaniels, and I was very fussy about them, and she gave me a beautiful statue. Which is really lovely.
'It's really sweet. When I brought it home, the dog would run round and bark at it and sniff it, and try to work it out.'
However, he said, the issues start if the statues start to feel random.
'I have seen a few gardens designed as though, clearly, somebody's come back from holiday,' he said. 'A couple of bonsai in there. It's a lovely idea, but you're not on holiday. It doesn't do it for me.'
...And what you SHOULD do
Get a water butt
If there's anything the recent heatwaves and resulting hosepipe bans have taught Britons, it's that you can never have too much water in the bank to care for your green spaces.
Because of this, Phil suggested investing in a water butt.
Water butts collect excess rainwater and store it to use for watering your garden. They are usually connected to a downpipe and water is kept within the butt for whenever you need it.
The average house roof in the UK collects enough rainwater in a year to fill about 450 water butts, according to the Consumer Council for Water.
There is a wide range of water butts on the market in different shapes and sizes, and prices start from around £25 for a basic model holding 100 litres of water and go up to around £200 for models holding 500 litres or more.
'Having a water butt has to be a good idea now, going forward,' Phil said. 'Save your water.'
Encourage wildlife
For Phil, the garden is all about the life in it. So, he said, things like bird feeders and bee houses - when carefully managed - can be great additions.
'I love having birds in the garden. It really brings it to life,' he shared.
'Anything that attracts nature to your garden is great.'