Homeowners are on the lookout for ways to increase home value, especially in the spring when the real estate market is hot. If you’ve already thought about remodeling your kitchen, tearing down living room walls and adding a bathroom, it’s probably time to start thinking outside the home and consider the lawn. Landscaping has a surprising effect on your home’s value. It all proves how important it is to make a good first impression with the best curb appeal.
A Nice Yard Increases the Value of Your Home
The front yard is the first thing any potential buyers will see when they pull up to your home. It will instantly make them smile or cringe. That is why many homeowners associations have strict rules about home exteriors and landscapes.
Landscape economist John Harris stated that a “beautiful landscaping can contribute to 28% of your home’s overall value.” Furthermore, a Clemson University study found that by upgrading your lawn from “passing” to “exceptional” can increase your home’s value 6% to 7%. These gains easily pay for the cost of hiring Nice & Precise to take care of your yard.
It’s important to realize that landscaping isn’t the same as a house flipping method. You should landscape for the pleasure a beautiful lawn provides, all the while knowing you’re making a great investment.
Landscaping Trends to Improve Home Value
With so many options available to maintain a beautiful lawn, how do you know which decisions will increase your home’s value the most? By following these landscaping trends, you are sure to get the biggest bang for your buck:
- Add mulch or gravel: Whether around the base of trees or in a flowerbed, mulch and gravel are much more appealing than bare dirt. They also serve practical purposes, including preventing weeds and slowing evaporation to save water.
- Spruce up your porch with containers: You can decorate the entrance to your home in endless ways with container plants. Keep sun exposure in mind as you choose which plants to use.
- Prune your trees and shrubs: Overgrown plants tend to make your home look rundown. Annual pruning can make a huge difference in how well kempt your yard looks.
- Install a water feature: The relaxing sound of a fountain or waterfall is a sure way to draw in potential buyers as they make their way up your front steps. If you already have a water feature, keep it clean and free of algae at all times to prevent it from being a turnoff.
- Add height and texture: There’s nothing more boring than a flat bed of identical flowers. Be daring and add tall bushes, sprawling vines and small evergreen trees for varying heights and textures. A landscape designer can help you with plant pairings and placement.
- Incorporate lots of color: If your landscape consists of nothing more than grass with a bush here and a tree there, your front yard won’t stand out at all. Try adding a couple of bold, beautiful Salvia bushes for purple blossoms in the summer and euonymus alatus, also known as a burning bush, for gorgeous red foliage in the fall.
- Plant a mix of perennials and annuals: Redoing your landscape takes a lot of work. You don’t want to put in this much effort every year, so plant plenty of perennials to act as a backdrop. These plants return every year on their own. Then you can supplement by planting brightly colored annuals every spring to really make your landscape pop.
When you need help with your lawn or want to increase your home’s value, please contact Nice and Precise.