Kevin Shirley, Associate Broker (DC), e-PRO, ASP, GRI
Outdoor landscaping upgrades are vital if you are planning to sell your home. However, you want to make sure that you spend your landscaping budget wisely.
When you decide to sell your home, your real estate agent will likely advise you to upgrade your home’s exterior. An outdoor landscaping project is a great way to improve the curb appeal of your home. Understanding which upgrades add the most value to your home and will resonate with buyers will help you to select upgrades that make financial sense.
Landscaping projects can dramatically improve the look of your home. If you are planning upgrades to increase the value of your home, you must be more selective about the types of upgrades you make.
You also want to make sure that the outdoor upgrades will appeal to a wide range of buyers if you decide to sell your home later. “Studies in Canada and the U.S. show that landscaping can add anywhere from 4% – 15% to the value of your home,” says Denis Flanagan, landscaping expert and Director of Public Relations for Landscape Ontario. “Improving your home’s curb appeal also increases the likelihood that potential buyers will come take a look at your property. People judge a home from the curb. Professional landscaping helps create a good first impression of your property, and it may even give you a (h)edge over the Joneses.”
Pay attention to the upgrades that your neighbors have made. A landscaping project that looks out of place in your neighborhood may drag down other homes’ values in your neighborhood.
Here are suggested outdoor landscaping projects that make financial sense for you to pursue.
Structures
Structures, such as patios and footpaths, can be hit or miss when it comes to adding to a home’s value. Fortunately, there are many options for these types of investments so that you can find a financially feasible option. When you install structures as part of a landscaping upgrade, you must plan carefully to ensure that the structure does not take up too much of the outdoor landscape.
Most buyers want homes that offer plenty of greenery. Installing a patio that replaces too much of the yard with hardscape could inadvertently lower your home’s value. Pay close attention to the other homes in your area before making such additions to ensure that a new patio won’t detract from the value of your home relative to other homes in the area.
In addition, the structures should also match the architectural style of your home. By seeking out professional contractors, you can determine the exact costs associated with the additions. You should also speak with your real estate agent to determine if such upgrades will actually add to the value of your home.
Outdoor Lighting
Outdoor lighting is one of the most prominent features of the exterior of a home. Outdoor lighting can significantly raise the value of a home because it also acts as a home security system. If you plan to install outdoor lighting, focus on highlighting the front of the home. You can also install lights near trees to add a dramatic look at nighttime.
However, you should choose lighting hues carefully. Soft-lighting in colors other than white works best so that the lighting doesn’t look harsh at nighttime. You can also use outdoor lighting to outline footpaths to maximize guests’ safety when they visit your home.
Plant Trees
Planting trees not only helps to improve the value of your property. Trees are also healthy for the environment because they reduce CO2 levels. By planting trees so that they can provide shade to your home, you also help to save on your energy bills. However, not just any trees will do. You want to make sure that the trees that you plant on your property are young and healthy. This will ensure that they mature well and will not simply become an expensive removal task for the next homeowner.
Do Maintenance Work
Not all upgrades mean adding something to the property. In fact, in certain instances, you may want to remove something from your property. This is a wise decision, especially if the previous homeowners have ignored the home’s landscaping maintenance aspects. “First, eliminate all the obstructions created by plants, such as overgrown bushes blocking the windows or tree roots disrupting paved passages. Pay special attention to large, old trees that may present a hazard during a storm – some of them might have to go,” says Elena Meadowcroft, writer for realestate.com.
By doing maintenance work on your property, you can improve the curb appeal of your home. Homebuyers looking for homes in your area will likely prefer your well-maintained landscaped home over others in the area that offer less curb appeal once you have made the changes.
Planning
If your landscaping project’s goal is to increase your home’s value, you must plan ahead. Many homeowners make the mistake of doing landscaping projects gradually, which can result in an uncoordinated look after several years of impromptu projects.
Hiring a professional landscaping company can help you plan better for future upgrades to the outdoor space around your home to make such mistakes. At the end of the day, a landscaping project that adds the most value to a home is one that looks professionally done and offers an attractive look year-round.
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KEVIN SHIRLEY is a real estate professional with almost twenty-five years of experience. He is an Associate Broker with Long & Foster Real Estate in Washington, DC. He is also an Accredited Staging Professional and a Graduate of the REALTOR Institute. He graduated from the University of Mary Washington with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Classical Civilization and Art History. Find his author page on Facebook; e-mail him at kevin@realastute.com; call/text him on 202.320.6634.
