There’s no doubt that spending money on your property’s landscaping in preparation to sell your home is going to yield a substantial return on your investment. The figures vary slightly, but improving overall curb appeal to attract the best buyers sits at the top of the "to-do" list before any home sale.
Just as a professional home valuation helps you set the right asking price, and smart home staging makes it easier for buyers to picture themselves in the space, enhancing your exterior is a simple but powerful way to add value and make a strong first impression.
Virrage Images Inc via Canva.com
The top five outdoor projects likely to bring the most added value to the home’s resale are:
- Standard lawn care service
- Landscape maintenance
- Overall landscape upgrade
- Outdoor kitchen
- New patio
According to the NAR, 74% of realtors suggest sellers undergo a significant landscape improvement and maintenance program before putting the home up for sale. For your home-sale planning purposes, this is the breakdown of the cost recovery:
- Professional landscaper estimate: $4,800
- Realtors estimated cost recovery: $5,000
Of course, you can’t do better than recovering over 100% of the value! Want to know what other outdoor improvements will instantly add to your home's curb appeal?
Preparing a Landscaping Plan
It’s practical to assess your yard’s needs for improvement by breaking them down into groups. Using the categories Softscaping, Hardscaping, Decorative Accessories, and Entryway helps plan your purchases and visualize the elements you need. Categories also serve to manage predetermined budgets.
An increasing number of buyers are seeking homes with cost-cutting and environmentally friendly landscaping. When shopping for plants and trees, consider species that require less watering. In that vein, if the home needs an irrigation system, a water-saving and energy-efficient system is a selling feature to share with potential buyers.
Although most of these projects can be accomplished with limited landscaping experience, if time is of the essence, a professional crew can likely knock the projects out in far less time than novice weekend DIYers. This can be a great addition to your other efforts in staging your house to sell.
1. Softscaping
Softscaping encompasses living elements, like lawns, trees, shrubbery, and flower gardens. Just like the hardscaping elements, the living elements must be cleaned and improved to offer buyers the look they are shopping for.
Some tasks to tackle:
- Clean pots and containers
- Shape shrubbery
- Weed beds and discard dead plants
- Plant colorful annuals
Homebuyers are immediately drawn to two major landscaping features:
- How much of the house is shaded.
- The lawn's current condition.
Shade is not only far more comfortable to sit in, but from a cost-saving perspective, it keeps the home at cooler temperatures during the peak summer temperatures. Although you won’t immediately provide shade cover from mature trees towering over the house, there are other ways to make the outside more comfortable.
Temporary and retractable canopies are becoming increasingly popular and cost-accessible. Tall potted trees and fencing covered in shade plantings easily accessorize a rustic pergola.
Photo by ptaa2010 from Getty Images via Canva.com
Green Grass and Edible, Colorful Gardens
A barefoot-worthy lawn speaks for itself. The more lush and green, the greater the curb appeal it provides. A beautiful lawn doesn’t come quickly, and installing sod might be the only way to get the look you need before an open house. If time is on your side and you have the energy to tend to a lawn that attracts buyers, be prepared to maintain the cut, aerate, rake, feed, and edge the grass regularly.
Instant color comes from potted plants in decorative containers and garden beds. Take these colors to the next level by coordinating them with the colors of your outdoor finishings, like cushions and rugs.
Salsa and pizza gardens aren’t only colorful; they provide ingredients needed for two of the most beloved snacks. Ideally suited for pots on decks, these edible gardens invite kids and guests alike to select fresh ingredients they’re about to eat.
For a clean and upscale effect, line garden beds with substantial edging. You’ll have to invest in durable materials like aluminum, fiberglass, or steel, as low-end options appear amateurish. Buyers are also impressed by gardens and yards that invite insects and creatures that encourage a more natural look and feel. Pollinator gardens that support wildlife are an example.
Show Off Your Garden During an Open House
An open house is designed to wow home shoppers, so take gardening to the next level by labeling plants in your garden and containers to create an identification and picture book for potential home buyers.
Those with a green thumb will be particularly impressed that they won’t have to research which varieties grow well in their yard. Those without a green thumb will be relieved to have easy-to-read information on maintenance.
2. Hardscaping
It's easy to think of hardscaping as the hard components of landscape elements, like decks, patios, outdoor kitchens, and stone walkways.
Mother Nature is a force to be reckoned with, and she’ll leave her mark on your existing landscape elements. Whether it's wear and tear or general grime, it all must be spruced up to measure favorably against any newly installed features. Buyers are looking for move-in ready and won’t be interested in spending time and money to power wash surfaces after they move in.
Clean and/or repair:
- Water features
- Deck and patio surfaces
- Decorative or boundary fencing
- Walkways
Extended Living Spaces
The desire to extend living spaces outdoors continues to drive the landscape industry. If a substantial investment into a deck or patio project is necessary, define the purpose of your additional outdoor space to maximize your investment dollars. Will the space be used for relaxing or meditation, or is it more likely to be used as an entertaining area?
For a multi-purpose landscape project, install a masonry or flagstone surround around an existing tree or a newly planted garden bed. The eye-pleasing update could provide extra seating for guests.
Photo by irina88w from Getty Images via Canva.com
Swimming Pool ROI
Swimming pools can be costly and pose liability risks, but in warmer parts of the U.S., they’re often highly desirable. In states like Florida or Arizona, a private pool is often seen as a valuable asset, whereas in many other regions, pools can deter buyers due to maintenance, safety, and liability concerns.
Again, your timeline and enjoyment factor could overrun a mathematical equation for ROI. The National Association of Landscape Professionals estimates a new pool is approximately $90,000, and owners can expect to recoup about 55% of the expense.
3. Decorative Accessories
Outdoor furniture, rugs, and personal creature comforts are examples of decorative accessories, but the options are limited only by budget and personal preferences.
Determining logical focal points within your landscaped areas is a great place to start with decorative items, especially if your budget is limited. For example, an outdoor fireplace with a mantel requires a trinket or two to make the space look regularly occupied.
To feel inviting, back decks and patios with outdoor furniture should look and feel comfortable, not forced into tight perimeters. Consider scale and the available space before purchasing oversized outdoor sectionals, which can be difficult to rearrange. Pillows, rugs, side tables, and coffee tables are must-haves for entertaining and the ease of guests. Lanterns, torches, or overhead lighting are also decorative items that finish the space.
4. Front and Back Entries
Although technically not landscaping, the front entry, in particular, promotes another chance to catch the eyes of potential buyers. Cleaning and updating the porch and doors gives the impression of a well-kept home. New paint for the door, improved house numbers, and a cleaned light fixture are inexpensive updates.
But it’s the layered plants that make the porch look luxurious and pop from the street view. Hanging, potted, and container plants, especially with colorful blooms, are low-cost improvements that provide the complete picture of a home worth the full asking price when combined with other landscaping elements.
Factoring Military Life into a Landscaping Plan
Military life doesn’t always allow for these kinds of landscaping investments. Tight timelines often prohibit a profitable sale, or a difficult selling atmosphere in your neighborhood might extend these improvements beyond your monetary comfort zone. But, because curb appeal is so crucial to draw in buyers and even renters, it can’t be ignored. Perhaps a new patio isn’t in the budget, but plenty of sweat equity and reasonable updates are.
Updates are also tied to your timeline for selling or renting. If you anticipate moving in a year, installing an outdoor fireplace or fire pit brings plenty of quality time with the family, but probably won’t meet 100% ROI. That said, if you return to your dream home after housing tenants for a couple of years, the custom fireplace will be a joy to come back to.
The Need for Current Landscaping Trends
Sometimes, home selling is a challenge, especially for military families with individualized time and location constraints. As the homeowner, especially as you map a future beyond your current home, keeping up with the latest landscaping trends that attract a variety of buyers should be something you keep an eye on.
Maintaining a beautiful yard and incrementally adding improvements during your time in residence, as your budget allows, keeps the pace flowing forward, so a mad scramble to wow buyers isn’t necessary when the time comes to list the house for sale.
Follow MilitaryByOwner’s blog and download our free resource below for more tips for staging your house to sell! Whether it's understanding home valuation or executing the final finishing touches, you’ll find tips for both first-time property owners as well as seasoned movers.
