When you list your home for sale, don’t overlook the importance of your exterior landscaping as a tool for increasing the volume of potential buyers and selling your home more quickly.
In real estate, while you can’t always “tell a book by its cover,” having a home with curb appeal is more likely to get people to request an appointment after seeing it on a website or from a drive-by. A home that looks neat and inviting from the outside is likely to be the same way inside.
Landscaping Upgrades That Add Resale Value
Just as with other upgrades you do to your home before the sale, you should not go crazy with exterior landscaping or add features with the questionable resale value, such as a pool, water feature, or a large garden. You want to present property that is well-maintained and attractive, while not seeming overly difficult to maintain.
As a result, planting some colorful flowers, adding a hanging basket to the porch, upgrading the exterior doors, refurbishing an existing deck or adding a new one, and playing an attractive stone walkway may be well worth the money in resale value and speed of sale.
According to Carson Arthur, a landscaping designer, often seen on TV home shows, great landscaping can increase a home’s value by 7%, which amounts to $42,000 on the $600,000 home. Patios may add a 12% return, while decks, especially low to no maintenance types, have a 10% to 15% rate of return. An awning, pergola, or even a tree that offer backyard shade might increase your home value by $2,000-$3,000 each. In general, adding trees, a bench in your front yard, a stone walkway or driveway, and attractive plantings are among the key upgrades that pay off.
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Managing Exterior Landscaping
If you are selling your home because you are no longer able to keep it up as you like, the whole concept of exterior landscaping may be overwhelming. Given the extra value that great landscaping can add to your home, hiring someone to do the work will be well worth your investment. If you are up to it, putting some effort into the outside of your home can be the perfect closure for transitioning to a new place.
Any home will benefit from neatly trimmed lawns, gardens, and shrubs, along with a patch of color. If you don’t have much to spend on updating a moderately priced home, hiring a neighborhood kid to clean up the area, cut your grass, and plant some flowers might offer the boost you need. If you have a higher-end home where you are hoping to extract maximum value, or if your landscaping is outdated and out of shape, you should go to the next level of hiring a landscape designer or landscape architect to plan out your improvements. A professional will be able to suggest the proper plantings and upgrades and even do them in an eco-friendly way that appeals to many modern buyers.
Ask Me About Curb Appeal
If you are ready to sell your home and wonder whether your property needs more curb appeal, give me a call for an honest assessment as to what you need to do before we list your home.
Looking to sell your home? Give me a call today. When you are buying or selling a home, don’t waste time. Give me a call for experience, market knowledge, correct pricing, and a sincere interest in helping you fulfill your real estate goals. If you are ready to sell your home for maximum value, the best place to start is by clicking here and scheduling an appointment.
