Did You Know That Landscaping Adds Value to Your Home?

 

What do you value most about your backyard? Is it the extra space it gives you for relaxing, entertaining and playing with kids and pets? The combination of greenery and seasonal color that provides a refreshing contrast with the concrete jungle where you head off to work every day? The natural cooling and warming effects of trees on your property? Most people are surprised to learn that landscaping can even increase the value of their home, making it one of the most important home improvement projects possible.

Outdoor living in all seasons
Most people love spending time in their backyards, whatever the season. In warmer weather, your backyard is an extension of your home, an outdoor space to drink your morning coffee and catch up on the news before tackling the workday. It’s where you spend time with your family and pets on weekends, playing, gardening or barbecuing.
Backyards are also a preferred location for entertaining, being ideal for picnics, cookouts and potlucks. In the fall and even in the winter, you can extend your outdoor time by adding a pot bellied stove to keep you warm, or a tent for hosting holiday parties. Outdoor kitchens and grills are another popular addition.

Landscaping adds value to your home
You know you love your backyard retreat, but did you also know how much it adds to the value of your home? Landscape design can add as much as 14% to the resale value of your home. Simple additions like a retaining wall, pergola or paved walk can all make a difference. Especially for people who are putting up their house for sale, landscaping can reduce the amount of time the home is on the market, sometimes by as much as six weeks.
Landscapers and realtors know that of all home improvement projects, landscaping offers the highest return on investment, up to 215%. That why 90% of real estate agents will recommend landscaping your home if you’re planning to sell. Outdoor space is a priority for home buyers as well, and they are willing to pay higher prices for a home with a backyard with features like a grill, patio or pergola.

Landscaping design ideas can be practical and decorative
Landscape design ideas can range from the purely decorative to the highly practical and functional. Most often, they are a mixture of the two. For instance, strategic plantation of trees and shrubs can actually improve the microclimate around your home. Trees can act as windbreaks in the fall and winter, offering a buffer against cold winds and keeping your home much warmer.
Likewise in the summer, trees can provide shade that will significantly reduce your air conditioning costs. It is estimated that trees can reduce air conditioning costs by 25% in the summer and heating costs by 10% in the winter. And of course, trees provide color that varies with the seasons, making them ornamental as well as practical.

Simple landscape design ideas can add value and comfort to your home. Whether your favorite backyard activity is gardening, entertaining or just relaxing, landscaping is a practical project with many rewards. It can extend your enjoyment of the outdoor spaces while making your home a more comfortable place to live.