What do "outdoor spaces" add to property value?

 “What is the return on our investment for improving the landscaping around our house before listing the home for sale?”

Well ask yourself this question...when you search for a home to buy and you see the home your interested in has a incredible modern "outdoor living space" in which in Canada you spend your entire summer in your backyard if you can, are you more or less interested...um ya, the answer is pretty easy.

• “Will we get more money for the house if we improve the yard and, if so, how much more will we get?”

• “How much should we spend on landscaping to maximize our return on investment?”

Most homebuyers are more excited about touring a home that looks inviting on the outside than one that is sad and dreary, unless they were focused on buying a fixer-upper.

Some have struggled to quantify an exact return on investment when considering costly upgrades to backyards and landscaping clients.

In terms of dollar amount, the standard suggested is to invest 10 percent of the value of your home in landscaping.  That is a general guideline. 

If you don’t have that kind of money to invest, at the minimum most agree it's smart to add color with annuals, perennials, or seasonal flowering shrubs; mulching; edging; removing weeds; and getting the grass as green and full as possible. These are some of the quick and inexpensive fixes.

If you only have a few hundred dollars, paint the front door and get new house numbers.  Improve whatever the eye will see from the street.

Do a quick Web search and you will see a ton of statistics on the return on investment of landscaping.   I found numbers ranging from a 100 percent to 1,000 percent ROI on landscaping.  Other Web sites estimated an increase in value on your home from 5 percent to 20 percent.

Does spending more money translate into higher returns?

Remember though, at times, very extensive 
landscaping, while loved and valued by fellow gardeners, can be seen as a negative by buyers who are concerned about the extra maintenance cost and extra work involved. That prize rose garden can be seen as a thorny problem by 
those lacking green thumbs.

If you are getting your home ready to sell this summer here are some tips for getting the yard in shape on a budget:

•  Keep the yard weed free – preferably without the use of chemicals (based on new Ontario laws). That means getting your hands dirty.

• Add some potted and planted flowering annuals near the front door.

• Adding a modern touch can be as simple as planting various types of ornamental grasses (pro tip, most come back each year!)

• Mulch and edge the lawn for a clean and tidy appearance.

• Keep the lawn mowed and watered.

Despite not being able to pin down an exact ROI on landscaping, a positive first impression of a home can mean the difference between a buyer driving by or stopping to take a closer look.  Just like the importance of making a good first impression when meeting someone new, with a little attention to the landscaping of your home, you can increase your chances of a better outcome when selling your home.