How a good garden can increase property value | Renovation Quotes

Whether interior or exterior, giving care and consideration to all aspects of your home will be obvious to friends and strangers alike. Imagine walking by a beautiful house with an impeccably tailored garden; what would be your first impression? A well-crafted, bright, polished lawn and garden not only presents a welcome first impression but actually works to improve the value of your home.

In many cases when a homeowner attempts to sell, the advice they receive to improve the resale value will be focused on ways to spruce up the interior. Thus, at first, it may sound surprising that a well-groomed garden or attractive landscape can just as easily improve your property value.

We’re here to argue in favour of the importance of your outdoor spaces and how much of an impact cultivating a beautiful outdoor space can have.

Can a garden increase property value?

Why homeowners and sellers should think about landscaping

As mentioned, when it comes to renovating as a way to increase property value, our first instinct is to improve the interior areas of our home. Many articles have been written detailing advice on adding a fresh coat of paint to the walls, replacing outdated appliances, or renovating rooms like the kitchen and bathroom. While we can’t deny that focusing on these areas definitely allows for an increase in property value, the landscape and quality of your garden is equally as important.

Landscaping is actually one of the few renovation projects that can add immediate value to your home. Curb appeal is real and when a buyer sees a home with a beautiful, maintained lawn, to them this is a serious indicator of how well the home has been looked after. Additionally, a garden allows for an increase in value over time. You may be wondering, how exactly?

Let’s think about it this way; a simple paint job can peel and fade, kitchen and bathroom appliances become out of date, flooring warps, furniture will need to be replaced. In contrast to this, the plants in a garden will become more robust and rich as they grow, especially when properly chosen for the environment you’re working with and consistently cared for. 

Looking beyond the aesthetic benefits of having a well-tailored garden, we can begin to think about some other factors that are appealing and move beyond selling your home. If you’re invested in the environment and green-friendly initiatives, you’ll be interested to know that specifically designed landscaping such as insulating bushes, hedges and shady trees will actually work to decrease the need for heating and air conditioning. This will allow you to save energy, as well as some money on your monthly bills.

What to consider when creating the right garden?

When it comes to designing your landscaping and garden, it’s absolutely crucial to have a plan. Many homeowners make the mistake of not designing a coherent layout for their lawn, and this can lead to problems including over and undergrowth, disorganization and thus, an aesthetically unappealing property. Of course, this is what you’re hoping to avoid, especially with the intention of increasing property value.

Approaching this project with intention, one of the options here would be to hire a landscape designer. A landscape designer can help you to choose plants and flowers that are suitable for your region and climate, which will allow them to truly flourish. This professional can also help with the layout, pairing plants that compliment each other as well as offering ways to cool down, heat or shelter your home. If hiring a landscape designer isn’t in your budget, that’s ok too.

We’d still suggest drawing up a detailed plan and putting some time into researching plants that are native to your region. Working with flowers, trees and bushes that grow in the area will make the task of maintaining a beautiful garden significantly easier. As long as you’re willing to put the time and energy into crafting the right garden, you’ll be able to make the most of your landscape while increasing your property value.

Landscaping tips and tricks

Whether you’re planning to be in your house for the foreseeable future, or you’re looking to sell as soon as possible, a landscaping plan should be a necessity. If your goal is to sell sooner than later, than there are some tricks you can implement as a way to dress up the garden and opt for a higher price. Depending on what you’re working with, try some of the following:

• Make sure your grass is trimmed and there’s a clear definition between surfaces such as grass, dirt and mulch, as this will offer a tailored and professional look;

• Clip and trim fresh edges on all hedges, bushes and planting beds;

• Take the time to prune trees;

• Take care to consistently fertilize your lawn so it’s looking bright and healthy;

• When working with flowers, add interest with complementary colours and a variety of strains.

Be certain that your yard looks polished and as if you’ve been working on it for years, even if you’ve only begun the transformation process days earlier. A budget also needs to be considered before starting the project, as it may include spending between $300-$700 upfront on shrubs, perennials and even a tree or two.

Bear in mind that the more thought and energy you invest in the creation of a cohesive, inviting and pretty garden, the more potential buyers will feel intrigued to enter the interior, and later, to call your home their own.

Composting in your backyard

More and more people want to set up a composting bin in their backyard. Compost is a great way to make your home and its surrounding environment more eco-friendly. Additionally, the product that results from the composting process can either be useful to you or to your municipality. Some places have a compost pick-up program that is organized by the city whereas, in other places, private companies will come to your house to get it (for a fee). 

If you are looking to set up an at-home composting bin with all that is required to create high-quality compost. You have to take the time to do things properly. Compost is a nutritious, effective way of fostering healthy plant life in your yard. If you've never used an at-home compost set-up before, it's best to consult an expert who will make sure that you choose the right type of composting structure and technique, as well as all the maintenance tips you will need to follow to keep things working. 

Also, since a growing number of people are adding environmentally-friendly installations to their list of criteria when buying a home, having a compost bin ready to be used could be a selling point for a certain target market of buyers.