Landscape Features with the Highest ROI

Landscaping is an investment that every homeowner should be making. The whole family can enjoy beautiful landscape and outdoor features, then when it comes time to sell, landscaping yields some impressive return on investment (ROI).

Keeping up your lawn and landscape can contribute to a whopping 28% of your home’s overall value and can cut time that a home spends on the market by 10 to 15%.

If you already know you should improve your landscape but aren’t sure what to do, consider one of these features, as they are considered to have the highest ROI.

Trees

Believe it or not, a sound, mature tree can add between $1,000 and $10,000 to the value of your home. Trees provide aesthetic appeal, as well as shaded areas for certain plants or outdoor areas. It’s also possible to save on utilities if the tree is providing shade over a window into your home.

Pro-tip: If you’re planning to sell your home in 3 to 5 years, you’ll want to plant larger trees. These are a little more expensive initially, but you won’t be wasting any time to see the effects.

Water Features

It’s true, swimming pools can depreciate the value of your home, as they’re seen as more of a maintenance task to most. However, ponds and small fountains can be beautiful focal points that provide a relaxing feature to your lawn.

Pro-tip: While you may be able to install a fountain or pond on your own, keep in mind that a poorly constructed feature can actually lower property value; it will look more like something the new owner will have to repair in the future.

Outdoor Living Room/Kitchen

We’ve discussed before that the outdoor area is becoming more like an extension to the home. While it won’t technically add square footage to your home, it will feel as such when buyers are at a showing. Even simple additions such as a deck, fire pit, or outdoor fireplace can have enormous impact on the appeal of your home.

Pro tip: Outdoor kitchens can seem like a large expense, but consider the fact that they can see an ROI of 100-200%. Furthermore, Middle Tennessee is in a great climate for utilizing an outdoor kitchen.

They say that “it’s what’s on the inside that counts”, but currently first impressions on the exterior of your home are EVERYTHING. More people than ever are looking at homes online before they ever blink an eye at your property in person. This means that landscaping and outdoor features can drastically improve your home’s marketability.