Landscaping To Increase Property Value

Landscaping is one of the easiest ways to improve the value of your property. In fact, a recent study in Perth found that homeowners achieved a 109% return on every dollar they spent on landscaping. That’s a higher return on investment than any other type of home improvement, including kitchen renovations. So how can you use landscaping to increase the value of your property? Below we have compiled a list of 5 simple ways to use landscaping to increase property value.

Beautify Unattractive Areas

The first step to increasing your property’s value through landscaping is to beautify any unattractive areas of your backyard. This could be anything from patchy areas where nothing will grow to unattractive basement windows and air conditioning vents.

A great way to distract from the eyesores in your backyard is to hide them with raised garden beds or planters filled with colourful flowers. You can also add planters to entryways to give your property an immediate lift. And the great thing about using plant pots and raised garden beds is that you can take them with you when you move.

Similarly, if there are patches of your garden that have been overrun by weeds and unattractive plants potential home buyers may be scared away by the by the thought of a high maintenance backyard. Simply remove the weeds and replace them with brightly coloured flowers or bushes. You can also use mulch or weed mats to prevent the weeds from growing back again.

Define & Maintain Lawn

One way to increase the value of your property is to have a well maintained lawn and keep it green. This means making sure that the lawn is mowed, and lush as this will make your garden appear low maintenance which is a great selling point. If the grass on your property tends to only grow in patches try oversowing with a lawn seed blend to thicken up and green the lawn. A lush green lawn will help to attract families, as a house with no lawn can often be a sticking point for potential home buyers with children or pets.

Creating a clear edge between the lawn and garden bed is another easy way to make your backyard look well manicured and easy to maintain. This can be achieved by simply using a spade to mark the edge of the lawn. Alternatively, you can create a clear edge between your garden and lawn using pavers, wood or stone.

Landscape For Privacy

Another way to use landscaping to increase the value of your property is to landscape for privacy. If you have overlooking neighbours or your property is on a noisy main road it can significantly affect the value of the property. However, there are a few landscaping tricks you can use to distract your potential buyers from these flaws.

For example, you could plant tall hedging, shrubs or trees on the edge of your property to give privacy from any overlooking neighbours. You can even get already matured hedging and plants for instant results. Similarly, if your house is located on a busy main road your potential buyers may be put off by the noisy traffic.

However, not only will shrubs, trees or other large plants provide a visual barrier, they can also help to reduce the street noise. Plus, large plants give the added bonus of extra shade, which is extremely important for properties in hot climates such as Queensland.

Plant Trees

Planting a tree in your yard may seem like something that would have little to no impact on your property’s value. However, a recent study in Perth found that a broad-leafed tree situated at the front of the home increased the median value of homes by approximately $17,000.

Simply adding some trees for shade in your backyard can also increase the value of your property as the extra shade can appeal to potential home buyers with children or those who tend to spend more time outdoors. And if you’re looking to sell right away, simply plant an already matured tree for instant effect.

Keep It Low Maintenance

Finally, and most importantly, keep it low maintenance! Whatever you decide to do to your garden to increase the value of your property, the key is to keep it low maintenance. Unless you happen to find home buyers who love gardening and have a lot of spare time on their hands, a high maintenance garden will make your property much harder to sell and can potentially result in you having to reduce your asking price.

To keep your garden looking low maintenance make sure that it is kept neat and tidy including mowing the lawns, removing any weeds and defining a clear edge between the lawn and any garden beds, fences or paved areas. Another way to make your backyard appear low maintenance is to limit the types of plants you use. Planting a small variety of plants will give a more uniform look and make your garden appear low maintenance.

Additionally, using mulch in your garden beds will make your backyard appear manicured and easy to maintain. This is due to the fact that not only will mulch prevent weed growth, it will also provide a neat finish to your garden. However, make sure that when using mulch you choose a neutral colour, as brightly coloured mulch could put off potential buyers if the colour is not to their personal taste.

Make sure that you keep plants, trees and large shrubs pruned so that your garden looks neat, tidy and easy to care for. But, don’t over prune or your backyard will begin to appear sparse and even unattractive.

You may also need to remove any young trees growing around your home or driveway as they may affect the foundations of the house or driveway as their roots grow. This will be viewed as problematic by potential home buyers and could affect the sale of your property.