Would artificial lawn put you off buying?

victoriavictorious

Could you not just get some attractive container plants e.g. small trees, palms etc to create a focal point and visually 'break up' the muddy parts? Our next door neighbour has an artificial lawn (dog and young baby, so I guess more hygienic and easier to keep clean) and while it wouldn't be a deal breaker for me as a buyer, their fake lawn does look a bit weird.
EDIT - sorry, I see someone has already suggested pot plants and I second that!

Kidder81

If it helps we've got two tiered (downwards) garden with a 3 bed semi. The top level is concrete. We levelled the bottom and put down wood chippings. Cost effective and look good. Sold within a week.

Caroline_a

I have artificial grass and absolutely love it! I do have 2 dogs and it makes cleaning up after them so easy, plus there is no mud (or the dust that goes with it when it's dry!). No mowing etc. As for the hoovering comment, you wouldnt do that, although I do use a leaf blower to get rid of leaves in autumn.

One caveat though - it's not cheap to get decent stuff. If you go for cheap stuff it'll look awful, a bit like the stuff they used to have in greengrocers!

kerri_gt

We looked at artificial grass - it needs to be laid correctly otherwise it end up bumpy, uneven and naff. The one thing that stopped us going for it was the cost - and that was an easy to access, flat, small - med sized area.

We also found out it can get very hot in the summer which may put some people off.

Unfortunately, the sloping / mixed level garden itself is more likely to be a deciding factor for families one way or another (I grew up in a road that sounds very similar - the other side of the street had very steep gardens, with heavy clay) rather than what has been laid there already.

GreenSnake

Red-Squirrel wrote: »

Put some gravel down and a few pots if you think its bad enough that it will put viewers off, but definitely don't spend a lot of money on fake grass.

Its already falling out of fashion, in a few years it will be like trying to sell a house with an avocado bathroom suite.

Avocado is back. Didn't you know?
White is so 2015.
Everything comes back around eventually.
You just have to stick it out long enough...

orangecrush

Ooooh I've just remembered how to quote!! Hurrah! Thanks all for the responses, I'm so grateful!

Kidder81 wrote: »

If it helps we've got two tiered (downwards) garden with a 3 bed semi. The top level is concrete. We levelled the bottom and put down wood chippings. Cost effective and look good. Sold within a week.

Wood chippings are a good idea, thanks! That will work on the top tier as it's mostly flat - we sit up there as it is higher than the house and catches the sun all day. Plus great views across the valley!

Caroline_a wrote: »

I have artificial grass and absolutely love it! I do have 2 dogs and it makes cleaning up after them so easy, plus there is no mud (or the dust that goes with it when it's dry!). No mowing etc. As for the hoovering comment, you wouldnt do that, although I do use a leaf blower to get rid of leaves in autumn.

One caveat though - it's not cheap to get decent stuff. If you go for cheap stuff it'll look awful, a bit like the stuff they used to have in greengrocers!

:rotfl:That's what I was afraid of!! I think to do it on a budget it would be a bit astroturf... which definitely isn't a good look!

kerri_gt wrote: »

We looked at artificial grass - it needs to be laid correctly otherwise it end up bumpy, uneven and naff. The one thing that stopped us going for it was the cost - and that was an easy to access, flat, small - med sized area.

We also found out it can get very hot in the summer which may put some people off.

Unfortunately, the sloping / mixed level garden itself is more likely to be a deciding factor for families one way or another (I grew up in a road that sounds very similar - the other side of the street had very steep gardens, with heavy clay) rather than what has been laid there already.

The access issue is another tick in the "no" column I think, thanks for reminding me.

And yeah - we know the terracing is going to put a lot of people off. There's a decent sized patio just outside the sliding doors to the house, then 6 steps up to the next level which is flat, and paved, then 3 steps to the lawn-of-doom, which is sloping, and another 3 steps to the top tier, which is flat, but smaller than the middle tier. Lots of families seem to make it work with young kids, but I totally get this will limit our market. Just hope the fact that it's in the catchment for 3 'outstanding' schools is enough to make it up to them!

orangecrush

Red-Squirrel wrote: »

Put some gravel down and a few pots if you think its bad enough that it will put viewers off, but definitely don't spend a lot of money on fake grass.

Its already falling out of fashion, in a few years it will be like trying to sell a house with an avocado bathroom suite.

That's a great idea, thank you!!

Kidder81 wrote: »

I'd agree with leaving it.

Personally I'd prefer artificial grass as I hate mowing the lawn but I'd leave it up to your buyer.

If the nature of your garden isn't family friendly (tiered) then I'd do nothing to the outside or you may find yourselves spending money and limiting your market.

That's a really good point. It's not terrible, but no long flat lawn either.

GreenSnake wrote: »

If the gardens are sloping, maybe some people will want decking?

I think decking, or woodchip like someone else suggested, would be a good idea for the top tier... it will depend on price I think! We have one flat, paved area that gets the sun and is large enough for huge table, BBQ, collection of pots and still room to mill around and smell the flowers The largest lawned area is sloped, not badly though, so probably not worth levelling and decking.

orangecrush

GreenSnake wrote: »

Avocado is back. Didn't you know?
White is so 2015.
Everything comes back around eventually.
You just have to stick it out long enough...

I once lived in a house with bathroom that had avocado suite, plum woodchip walls and a black ceiling. It must have taken 4 or 5 coats of white on the ceiling before the black was completely covered:eek:

seven-day-weekend

I would prefer bark or gravel with pots on it rather than artificial lawn. It wouldn't put me off buying the house though, although the clay soil might.

Just bark it, don't spend a fortune.

orangecrush

It looks like a pretty unanimous 'leave it' then! If we get it on the market in spring/summer the lawn should look decent enough to pass muster, and we'll disguise the worst bits.

Thanks every so much everyone, you've saved me a lot of money :beer:

Happy Friday!!