Does landscaping add value to an appraisal?

Landscaping can add tens of thousands of dollars to the value of your property. In fact, it's one of the few home improvements you can make that not only adds value immediately, but also increases in value over the years. While interior decoration and design concepts tend to go out of style and mechanical systems wear out, plants grow fuller and more robust over the years. The American Society of Landscape Architects suggests that homeowners invest 10 percent of a property's value in landscaping.

In fact, a well-landscaped home can add approximately 6 to 13 percent in value compared to a property without gardens, according to a source. Poor drainage in a property can cause both safety risks and a landscape of suffering that impairs the value of the home. The preferred landscape included a sophisticated design with large deciduous, perennial and annual colored plants and a harsh landscape of colors. Data from research conducted in Greenville, South Carolina, showed that home price premiums increased between 6 and 7 percent for residential landscapes that went from good to excellent and from 4 to 5 percent for those that went from good to good.

The Appraisal Institute, the largest association of real estate appraisers in the United States, informs homeowners that “improving the landscaping of their property can result in a significant return on investment when selling the home. They can be equipped with sensors that detect the air and water levels in your garden and water only when needed. This advantage ranges from 5.5 to 12.7 percent, depending on the type of landscaping and the original value of the home. A home with a mediocre landscape or an exterior that desperately needs a new coat of paint is probably not attractive to potential buyers and could ultimately affect the potential resale value of the home, said Appraisal Institute President James L.

The survey results showed that a relatively large landscape expenses significantly increase the perceived value of the home and will result in a higher sales price than houses with minimal landscaping. And add splashes of color with the flowers; buy some colorful annuals for a few dollars each and be willing to invest a few hundred dollars in larger perennials and shrubs, so that your garden doesn't look like you just started working on it, even if you did. A tidy lawn leaves the buyer with the impression that they are faced with an easy-to-maintain landscape. A nice terrace or patio can certainly increase the value of your home, but it can easily go the other way around if it isn't maintained.

So, when you have a limited budget to improve your exterior and want to get the most out of your money, what features do you choose? Our research found which lawn, garden and garden elements help improve the value of your home and which don't return the investment or decrease the value. It's important to make sure you balance your gardening for different times of the year, so the next time you go to the local nursery, don't just choose what's in season, ask about the plants found throughout the year to maintain their curb appeal as the climate changes. This is the most rewarding gardening task, as it returns almost three times what you spend on it. For example, cutting fresh edges around plantation beds; having a sharp, well-defined border between grass and mulch or soil gives the landscape a professional look.

Natalie Shimabukuro
Natalie Shimabukuro

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