Simpson
Since the pandemic forced most of us to remain at home, our outside spaces have frequently served as extensions of our living rooms, kitchens, and dining rooms. As we all know by this point, having a good garden is an alluring feature to many home buyers.
Plenty of options are available if you’re thinking about adding value to your property. One option is to invest in landscaping upgrades like new fencing, lighting, shrubs, flowers, trees, and lawn care equipment. Another way to increase the value of your house is through renovations. Renovations include everything from updating kitchens and bathrooms to building additions. However, before investing any money into your yard, check with local codes and zoning laws to ensure they allow you to do these projects.
How valuable is having a great outdoor space?
You don’t need to hire a professional landscaper to build a beautiful yard. Here’s why
Landscaping should never cost more than 5% of the total property price. However, there are many ways to increase the appearance of your yard without spending too much money. For example, planting flowers around the house adds color and fragrance to any environment. These simple additions can enhance the overall look of your home.
Landscaping a yard is never profitable unless there is a plan behind it. However, doing it well could add years to your house’s marketability. And, yes, you can expect to recoup at least half of your investment.
Your backyard improvement ideas could be worth thousands of dollars.
If you already own a house, there are plenty of ways to add value to your property. Here at Simphome, we’ve put together five ideas to increase the resale value of your home. (Here for the renovation ideas)
5. The Swimming Pool
In times like these, having a pool is no longer just a luxury; it’s something that could increase your property value. According to Bill Golden, a real estate agent and associate broker at RE/Max in Atlanta, the pandemic has altered how prospective buyers perceive homes with pools. According to him, “people are now spending a lot more time at home, which has raised the demand for pools.”
While you probably wouldn’t expect to see any kind of return on investment, it can still be a selling point when you place your house on the market. If your house is competing, a huge benefit against other houses (with pools) on the market locally. (Here are 20+ Ideas on How to Build Above Ground Pool Backyard Ideas)
4. Your Firepits
Fire pits are often used at parties or special events, like weddings or barbecues. They’re usually made of metal and sometimes include benches.
Gas-fueled models burn wood logs or charcoal briquettes; electric ones run off rechargeable batteries. Depending on materials and design options, firepits typically cost $150-$400. To determine whether they’ll pay for themselves over time, ask yourself these questions:
- Does my yard already lack seating?
- Can I easily move the firepit into storage during the winter months?
- Is there enough room for guests to gather around the pit?
- Do I plan to host frequent gatherings?
3. The Outdoor Kitchen
Outdoor kitchens aren’t just for foodies anymore; they’re becoming increasingly popular thanks to their many benefits. From entertaining guests to cooking meals outside, these spaces provide plenty of opportunities for families to enjoy time together. Here are some reasons why adding an outdoor kitchen should become a priority for any homeowner.
Patrick Garrett, a real estate agent in Birmingham, Alabama, recommends that homeowners consider their outdoor living spaces’ functionality before purchasing any property. He suggests that these areas must provide adequate protection from the elements during all times of the year, including the winter. These spaces should offer a place to cook food, enjoy meals together, entertain guests, relax after work, and much more. Furthermore, they should be able to accommodate various sizes of groups and family members.
2. Structures for Your Garden Privacy & Shade
You don’t necessarily need to build a structure around your yard or deck to enjoy its benefits. There are many ways to add shading, including trees, shrubs, vines, arbors, trellises, fences, walls, umbrellas, gazebos, pergolas, sunshades, and lounges. Depending on your needs, you can design something simple, like a large tree branch, or complex, like a latticework archway. Whatever form you decide upon, remember that you’ll reap the greatest benefit from these structures when they’re used during times of the year when you’d normally appreciate full sunlight.
Lastly, Number 1. Improvement of your Outdoor Living Space
If you’re thinking about adding a new porch or deck to your house, here are more than five tips for setting yours apart from the rest.
According to HomeStyles editor-in-chief Lucy Searle, “it’s vitally crucial to plan out and design a deck or patio like you would any area indoors.” This won’t break the bank and can increase the value or, at the very least, make buyers more eager to submit offers.
If you’re looking at building a new backyard retreat, these next tips should help you design the ideal spot for entertaining guests:
- Look into the local zoning laws. They’ll tell you exactly what types of structures are allowed in your neighborhood.
- Think about how much time you’d like to entertain. Do you plan to host large parties? Or would smaller gatherings work better?
- Decide what kind of furniture you’d like to include.
Are there any special features you’d love to incorporate? For example, do you want a fire pit, hot tub, or pool table? Whatever you pick, don’t forget to factor in maintenance costs. And remember, no matter your style, you still need to follow basic safety rules.
“Add style and functionality to any room with stylish pieces like these.”
Improvements to the backyard can increase property values – but there are drawbacks.
The good news is that your home’s value can increase due to garden enhancements. But they’re probably not what you anticipated. The Remodeling Impact Report: Outdoor Features from the National Association of Realtors® found that while buyers love the idea of a swimming pool, brand-new deck, and other luxury backyard features, what they were willing to pay more for was a garden that’s impeccably landscaped and well maintained.
If you’re considering starting a landscaping project around your house, there are many ways to save money and time during construction. One way to do both is by using mulch instead of grass seed. Mulching saves you money since you don’t need to buy new seeds yearly. Plus, mulched areas look much nicer over time. Read below to learn more about why mulch is better than grass seed.
Read 20+ Ideas on How to Makeover Outdoor Backyard Firepits.
What the report uncovered was that the majority of American homeowners aren’t interested in gardening at all. They prefer living in homes that don’t need any work done.
If you live in a city, chances are there are plenty of neighbors willing to pitch in and maintain your yard. However, if you’re looking at buying a house in rural areas, you’ll likely find yourself doing much of the work yourself. That being said, homeownership costs money, but it’s worth it in many cases. Here are five reasons why owning a property could save you thousands over renting.
In many cases, homeowners don’t realize they’re paying too much for property upkeep until after they’ve made the purchase. Kelley Martin, a Realtor in San Antonio, TX, says she often hears buyers ask questions like these: “Can I afford to live here?”; “What am I getting myself into?”; and “I’m just wondering if there’s anything wrong with this place.”
In the US, homeowners tend to focus more on the exterior appearance of their homes, but British consumers place greater emphasis on the interiors. According to a recent report by ratedpeople.co.uk, Americans will shell out $10,988 (£8,700) more per year to add a deck or patio to their house than Britons would. They’ll fork out $4,500 (£3,400) more annually to build a backyard oasis complete with a hot tub, sauna, spa, or fitness center. And finally, Americans will hand over another $1,800 (£1,300) each year just to put a green roof on top of their home.
Read: 27 Low Maintenance Garden Landscaping Ideas
Even if we like the notion of each of these items, none of them will convince us, consumers, to spend more money. Evidence that it always pays to research the vendor you’re buying from.
