Does Landscaping Improve Your Home Value?
BY LESLYE FLIGOR
Landscaping can have a big impact on the impression a home makes. The front lawn is usually what a visitor notices first; the backyard is evaluated for play and privacy. How important is it to invest in curb appeal improvement; and, if you do invest in landscaping, what is the return on investment (ROI)? According to the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), professional landscaping can increase the asking price of a home by 10-15%, which does not even take into consideration how much quicker it will sell due to the improved visual appeal. The ASLA recommends that your spend on landscaping improvements be in the range of 10-20% of your home's current value. Whether hardscaping or soft scaping, the following landscaping projects are more likely to increase you home's value when done correctly.
HARDSCAPE PROJECTS:
Expanding living from inside to outside with decks and patios is a worthwhile investment with a strong ROI. Although not included in your home's square footage, the newly created outdoor spaces are now visually incorporated into the size of the home. If the deck and patios are accessed from a room where people gather inside, make sure the new outdoor space is large enough to accommodate as many or more people as the inside room.
Irrigation systems have a high ROI, and, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). "Remodeling Impact Report: Outdoor Features for 2023;' a sprinkler/irrigation system has an 83% ROI and earns a 9.4 "joy score" out of a possible 10 from homeowners.
Professional landscape lighting not only improves the aesthetics of your home's exterior, but also has benefits for security and safety. According to the NAR 2023 study, quality landscape lighting may offer a 59% ROI. Properly lit outdoor areas now beckon homeowners to come outside and enjoy these beautiful spaces.
SOFTSCAPE PROJECTS:
The biggest bang for your landscaping buck is regular mowing, pruning, and annual mulch application. It is worth every penny and provides a 104% ROI according to NAR. Further, there's a sense of fashion with shrubbery. Don't just replace a shrub with a new, smaller version if it makes your home appear dated - for example, an ewe bush (popular in the latter half of the 20th century). Instead, consider a modern alternative. "The average shrub lifespan is typically 10-15 years. That's not to say that shrubs can't go on to live after that, but you may notice they could start to look subpar:' according to Joshua Tree Experts.
LANDSCAPE PROJECTS TO AVOID:
When considering landscape projects and their impact on your home's value, avoid projects that are "too niche" which may put off a large portion of buyers. Ideas such as Asian Zen gardens, koi ponds, or a grove of fruit trees may not appeal to all and might be concerning for future buyers in terms of maintenance requirements. If they provide you with personal joy, then do them, but remember that they will typically not add value and could decrease value for future sale of your home.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Landscaping can increase a home's resale value by 10-15% on average.
- It's recommended to keep your spending on outdoor and landscaping improvements in the range of 10-20% of your home's current value.
- The most financially rewarding landscaping projects both expand living space and add low-maintenance beauty to a property.
- Landscaping projects that are geographically infeasible, seem high-maintenance, or are "too niche" may put off buyers.
