Whether you’re planning to flip your property now or in a year, there’s one improvement that can give you a return many times greater than your spend. And it can get your investment sold quicker!Before we reveal what the improvement is, take a moment to imagine you’re house hunting. Every real estate agent will tell you that street appeal is important. But what does that mean exactly?

Beyond the obvious explanation that it’s about making everything look good, street appeal is also what your home communicates to potential buyers. A facade with peeling paint, or giant weeds poking up through cracks in the concrete, suggests more work awaits inside.

Now imagine that the paintwork is in good condition, as is the roof, there’s a fresh white gravel path to the door and the gardens are green and lush. Perhaps too lush…

What if you buy this house and have to spend every second week in the garden? What if you let it get overgrown? What will your neighbours or friends and family think? How much will you have to spend on gardening services? Are there other things inside the house that will need regular attention? Is this really the right house for you? Maybe you should just look elsewhere.

Now imagine that same home with the gravel path and a garden that’s green and lush. But this time it feels low maintenance and manageable. You think that if you live here, you’ll have a great lifestyle. Your weekends will be free. You can relax. You can entertain. And you won’t have to worry about Auntie Jane tripping while navigating past the garden beds.

So, what makes the difference – and adds thousands to your flipper’s value?

It’s neatly defined lawns, paths and garden beds.

With a simple, unobtrusive border defining your garden elements, you convey the message that everything’s easily under control and where it should be. The borders don’t have to be high or wide or expensive, like concrete or bricks or timber – anyway, these could still trip up Auntie Jane – but there should be borders.

Choosing the right border is a matter of personal taste, but some things to consider are:

Material – its ability to withstand UV rays and resist rusting, and how long it will last
Safety – some borders and edging materials have rolled edges to make them safe for bare feet
Height – different areas may require different edge heights; look for a product offering multiple heights to give consistency across your project
Colour – nowadays you’re not restricted to green or russet-coloured plastic or naked steel; there are some new options on the market, such as powder-coated aluminium, offering
contemporary or neutral colours to suit every application
Ease of use – how the edges link together and how it stays upright are important; you don’t want to abandon a project because it all gets too hard
Designer features – are kits available if you want to form circles or squares around trees etc
Heavy duty – if want to edge your driveway as well, check if a heavy duty option is available.

The good news is that if you choose the right border or edge, such as Link Edge, you get to enjoy the benefits immediately… And, when you’re ready to flip the property, you will have nailed it for ‘street appeal’.