How to Increase Your Home Value by 20% with Attractive Landscaping

Curb appeal plays a major role in a buyer’s initial impression of your home. If your landscape is lacking, it can turn off an interested party before they explore other great qualities your home offers.

The American Society of Landscape Architects found that a home with a great landscape can get 15-20% more at resale than homes with less appealing landscaping.

Let’s go over a few ways you can increase the value of your home with attractive landscaping.

Maintain a healthy lawn

A buyer doesn’t want to be daunted by a barren wasteland in the yard. A healthy lawn will help them see that the current resident cares for and maintains the home.

Using a professional lawn care company that can assist in fertilizing your grass, weed control, and other lawn care needs can help you save time and money by eliminating the need for equipment, products, and other supplies.

A professional can also guarantee the lawn looks great, as opposed to a homeowner who may struggle to achieve the appearance they want. 

Plant (or transplant) and care for trees

Trees add privacy and shade, making it more enjoyable to spend time in an outdoor space.

They can add a wow factor to the curb appeal of your home. However, if trees aren’t properly maintained, they can look more like a project than a plus when a potential buyer inspects them.

Make sure you choose your trees wisely. Take the species of the tree into consideration. Ask yourself if the tree has messy seedpods, what its height is at maturity, and where it will need to be placed.

If your yard already has trees, maintain the overall health of the trees by pruning deadwood, watering, and fertilizing them when needed.

Freshen up the garden

Whether you’re making small improvements on a home you’ve recently inherited or a house you’ve lived in for years, freshening up the garden will help a home look more appealing to buyers.

When putting your home on the market, laying down new mulch will help enhance the look of your garden.

Some of the benefits of mulch:

• Helps keep your soil moist.
• Aids in weed control.
• Maintains good soil temperatures.
• Assists in the overall health of your plants.

Planting flowering annuals in empty spaces in your garden can make it look more vibrant and attractive. Trim hedges, shape bushes, and pick up debris so your garden looks its best.

Adding chairs, a bench, or potted plants near your porch or entryway can help your home look inviting to a buyer. Creating interest in the garden that draws the eye in and excites a buyer will help them see the potential of your home.

Put in a low-maintenance landscape

When choosing plants for your garden, consider putting in native, hardy plants that can thrive in the local weather conditions and can save on water.

Other low-maintenance features like a xeriscape or rock garden can be a good way to freshen up your curb appeal and save on upkeep.

However, take into account the current trends in your neighborhood. Adding a cactus garden in a historic area where cottage gardens are prevalent may not be the best action when buyers are expecting a certain look.

Adding other features like irrigation systems or turf in small areas can be another way to add value and lower the amount of effort on upkeep. 

Add an outdoor area

Understanding the real estate market in your area can help you gauge how much you should spend on an outdoor space.

Adding a patio or deck is a good way to show the buyer the outside has a use. However, different outdoor spaces can get you a different return on your investment, depending on where you live and the current trends. 

Having a private area to enjoy the yard will increase the charm of your home. Adding privacy, comfort, and style to a yard can be a good selling point. You want an outdoor space to seem like an area where a potential buyer would want to spend time.

It’s important to remember that landscaping trends can change along with the local housing market. 

Whether adding an inground pool increases the value of your home depends on the housing market in your area. A pool can be an asset or a detriment when you try to sell, and it will eliminate certain buyers who see it as a liability. 

If you put in a pool or add an outdoor kitchen, it’s best to do it before you plan to sell so you can enjoy it. Making these additions for the sake of trying to sell your home will most likely not pay off.

Curb appeal is key 

When your home is on the market, keeping your yard in good shape is important. The view from the outside will shape the first opinion a buyer has about your home.

To get the most out of selling your home, be sure to find a real estate agent who has gone through the steps to become a licensed agent and can walk you through the selling process.