We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn More ›
Curb Appeal Counts
When your house is on the market, it’s important to keep the exterior, including your yard, well maintained, because the outside of your home is the first thing potential buyers see. You can boost curb appeal by trimming overgrown plants, investing in outdoor upgrades, and refreshing your home’s facade. Keep your property value up by practicing regular outdoor maintenance and considering a few of the following improvements.
Plant Trees
Trees offer many benefits that can enhance the value of your property. They add privacy, improve air quality, and create shade that can make outdoor living more enjoyable. If positioned strategically, trees may even lower energy bills. Before you choose a tree, plan for maintenance (for instance, does it generate messy seedpods or fruit?), think carefully about where to plant it, and take its mature height into consideration so you don’t end up with branches hitting the house or interfering with power lines or other trees as it ages.
Maintain Your Lawn
Practicing proper lawn care is a good way to boost the value of your home and earn the gratitude of your neighbors. Keep your grass in good shape with regular watering, mowing, and fertilizing. It may pay off to invest in an irrigation system to make watering more convenient and consistent.
Build a Deck or Patio
Adding a deck or patio can increase your enjoyment of your outdoor spaces and is likely to improve your property value. Keep in mind that although a deck typically requires a larger financial investment and greater maintenance, it often adds more to resale value than a patio does.
Purchase a Tasteful Playset
If you live in a neighborhood with a lot of families, consider putting a well-built playset in your yard. Although many families decide to take their swing sets and playhouses with them when they move, if you choose to leave yours, it could be a strong selling point for potential buyers with young children.
Add a Water Feature
A picturesque water feature like a fountain, waterfall, or small pond not only creates a serene, calming ambience, but it can also boost your property value. Just make sure that it doesn’t require too much maintenance, or it could be perceived as more of a hassle than a perk. You may, however, want to steer clear of one type of water feature—pools—which, because of the upkeep involved and the potential for liability, can actually make it harder to sell a house.
Create Privacy Through Landscaping
Upgrading your landscaping is a smart way to increase the value of your property. When devising a landscape design, strive for a cohesive look by choosing a style that complements your home’s architecture. Focus on both style and function by selecting elements like shrubs or hedges that are aesthetically pleasing and add privacy at the same time.
Keep Your Yard Well Lit
Increase the value of your property and enhance safety and security by upgrading your exterior lighting. Choose fixtures that complement your house and provide effective illumination to key areas like the porch, garage, side doors, and sliding glass doors. Consider installing landscape lighting as a budget-friendly way to add drama and draw attention to your plantings.
Build an Outdoor Kitchen
Outdoor kitchens are growing in popularity, and building one is a great way to add value to your property. With features like a built-in barbecue, outdoor cabinetry, and specialty appliances like a smoker or pizza oven, an outdoor kitchen can be a real selling point for buyers who love to cook and entertain.
Add a Pathway
When you’re designing your dream landscaping, don’t forget about the path to your front door. This hardscaping element is just as important as the surrounding greenery, and it’s probably the path that potential buyers will follow as they enter your home for the first time, so it’s important that it make a good impression.
Aim for a Maintenance-Free Garden
A beautiful garden spruces up your yard and enhances your home’s value. Potential buyers, particularly those with a green thumb, will be drawn to a well-laid-out vegetable, herb, or flower garden. But as you’re planning your garden, take maintenance and upkeep into consideration. Don’t plant anything too exotic that will require special care, and don’t be too reliant on annuals for your landscaping’s overall effect. For a low-effort garden, choose plants that are native to the region, because they typically boast pest and drought resistance that other ornamentals may not.
Give Your Home a Boost
Your yard truly is an extension of your home—make the most of it.