When trying to sell your home, there are many strategies you can take in order to increase the property value. One of the most significant strategies to increase your home’s value can be landscaping. Investing some money into the external areas of your home will entice buyers from the moment they step foot on your property.
Curb appeal is one of the most significant factors in selling a house, as potential buyers want to see a property that is well-maintained and inviting. If the yard is overgrown and messy and the paint on the house is chipping, buyers’ first impressions of the property are going to revolve around the amount of work needed to make the house look nice. If you as the seller can make your home beautiful from the get-go, you’ll be able to attract more potential buyers and ultimately earn a higher selling price for your house.
What does my investment in landscaping give me?
There’s no one answer to this question. The specific return on your investment will depend on your home’s property value, the ways in which you improved the landscape, and other factors. A frequently-cited statistic argues that landscaping increase the value of your home by 150 percent; other online numbers promise anywhere from 100 percent to 1,000 percent return on investment. One survey, which showed participants a picture of a suburban house with no landscaping – only a lawn and a concrete pathway – as well as 16 photographs of the same house with various amounts of landscaping and design, found that landscaping added between 5.5 percent and 11.4 percent of value to a home, depending on the state the respondents were located in.
How much should you invest in landscaping?
Investing about 10 percent of your home’s value in landscaping is a general guideline, states Eric Shorb, who co-owns the American Plant nursery in Bethesda, Maryland with his two brothers. Homeowners should be smart with their investment, however, and hire a trained landscape designer who will consider the property, the architectural style of your home, and the neighborhood in order to create a custom landscape for your home.
What kind of changes should I make to my property?
A trained landscape designer will be able to advise you on your property’s must-dos. However, if you’re approaching this project on your own, there are definitely some basic improvements to consider.
With an objective eye, examine your house from the street. What looks dated or in need of freshening up? Consider repainting the front door and shutters in order to give your home a fresh new look without the difficulty of repainting the entire house.
Is there a walkway from the driveway to the front door? What shape is it in? Consider replacing an old, cracked pathway with a new brick or flagstone pathway.
Having a deck or patio is also a huge draw for potential buyers. Consider adding one if your home doesn’t have one, or revamping it to make it fresh and beautiful if it’s looking a bit worn down.
Some very small changes are necessary as well – such as placing potted plants outside the front door in the summer, or decorating an outdoor tree as a Christmas tree in the winter – can have an outsize effect on the value of your home.
Remember, as a seller, your goal is to make potential buyers imagine themselves in the space. A beautifully landscaped yard is integral to this goal, as it shows off your property to its best extent and makes potential buyers feel welcome in the space. Well-planned landscaping can only increase your home’s value, so put some consideration into the curb appeal of your house before you plan to sell it.
