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Does Landscaping Increase Property Value?

  • Home and Garden Ideas
  • January 18, 2022
Does Landscaping Increase Property Value?

Landscaping and Your Property Value Strategy

While we buy property for myriad reasons, property as an investment is a strong motivator. A number of factors influence property value – such as location, size, nearby amenities, and – of course – the property market itself. However, there are a range of cost-effective ways to increase the value of your home if making pricey renovations are out of your budget.

One way involves looking outside. From grand estates to smaller properties, the upkeep and quality of the garden and outdoor features can both enhance the appeal of the property overall, to make an unforgettable first impression, and even add value to your purchase price. You’re probably thinking about neat lawns and flowerbeds – and you wouldn’t be wrong. It’s a blooming good starting point.

It doesn’t stop there, however. In this blog, the team at Property.CoZa talks about property maintenance through landscaping and the different structural outdoor considerations to think about in trying to grow your property value.

Property Value: Does Garden Design and Size Add Value?

Property exterior size and, to some extent, landscaping are one of the traditional factors considered in determining property value. In the United Kingdom, landscaping has the potential to increase the value of property by up to 20%. In America, it is said to add tens of thousands of dollars to the purchase price. While design is important, the size, general upkeep, and neatness of exteriors, as well as structural features, are of paramount importance in this regard.

Does Backyard Landscaping Add Value?

A well-maintained garden often serves as an indicator of the property’s general care. In South Africa, our climate makes time outdoors a central part of our lifestyle. This covers everything from outdoor entertainment to simple gardening and children’s play areas.

How Much Value Does Good Landscaping Add to a House?

In the property world, space is a luxury. In some of South Africa’s premium suburbs, spacious exteriors are well sought after, and this is marked by high value increases. In general, however, a landscaped garden certainly holds more appeal than one with no landscaping depending on the type of landscaping conducted and the initial property value.

What Percentage of the Property Value Should be Spent on Landscaping?

The answer to this question ultimately comes down to affordability. However, this is where there is merit in taking the time to find an agent to advise you on what is typical of your neighbourhood, as well as the kind of investment that would yield a meaningful return on investment. In this context, it has been posited by both local and international sources that 10% of the value of your home should be spent on landscaping.

 

Small Properties? A Few Landscaping Tips for Striking Garden Spaces

Things are Looking Up

With concentrated populations of people living in cities around the world, a popular global trend is vertical gardening. This is the perfect way to add a touch of green to small spaces by using trellises to create green walls or pots as a space-saving landscaping tool. These create interest and diversify how one can occupy living space with a green space to relax.

Low on Space, Low on Maintenance

The key to landscaping in limited square metres is to make it as easy as possible to maintain. Look into plants that will thrive in pots or minimal space (and, sometimes, natural light).

Homegrown Greens

No matter the size of your property, an established veggie and herb garden appeals to the provider in us all. In small spaces, this is an excellent green accent in urban spaces.

 

Veggies

 

Property for Sale? What Kind of Landscaping Adds Value to Your Home?

Make Long-Term Plans Around Landscaping

Some landscaping plans cannot be achieved overnight. For instance, mature trees are endowed with some obvious (and some more subtle) appealing factors that could play a role in property value. For instance, the presence of mature trees has been linked to some of the more high-end neighbourhoods – a concept that has a bearing on the value of properties. Apart from the aesthetic and environmental attraction of mature trees, the shade they provide also stands to reduce cooling costs by up to 40%.

Whether you are planting seedlings with this in the back of your mind or undertaking a variety of landscaping tasks in the name of upping your property value, in all likelihood this is something that will be achieved in stages over the long term. Taking practical, methodical steps is often the more budget-friendly approach too – allowing homeowners to take on projects as they can afford them.

Keep It Simple

Beautiful landscapes are a subjective thing – defined by individual preference. This means, if you are landscaping and undertaking outdoor property maintenance, keep it simple to appeal to as many tastes as possible.

Another factor here, as with smaller properties, is maintenance. High-maintenance gardens only hold appeal for a handful of prospective buyers. This may well be a deal-breaker for anyone loath to spend time and money on topiary and rose gardens.

That said, it is a truth universally acknowledged that an unkempt garden has limited appeal and so it is a good idea to at least neaten up your property’s exterior before showing it to prospective buyers.

Keep It Local

Today’s consumers are more conscientious than ever when it comes to the environment. Indigenous plants hold amazing benefits for the environment – and tend to be hardier and less water intensive than many of their exotic counterparts. For property owners, this presents an opportunity to appeal to the green side of prospective buyers (as well as the advantage of more affordable water bills). Indigenous plants are also way more resilient when it comes to climate and pests, which ticks the box when it comes to perennially attractive gardens.

Bring in the Professionals

If gardening isn’t your strong suit, think about your outdoor spaces when you list your property. An overgrown and unkempt property can be enormously off-putting. At the very least, getting a garden service to neaten up your garden will create an attractive first impression for prospective buyers. If you would like to take it a little further than that, enlist a gardening service or landscaping professional to add some plants, create feature beds, or add pots and other accessories for simple, stunning landscapes.

 

The Coolest Pool

Pond or pool? Prospective buyers shouldn’t have to make that call. A pool is on the wish list of many property buyers and its appearance can make a very strong impression. A green pool full of leaves and frogs can be an instant reminder of the rigours of pool maintenance, while sparkling blue is reminiscent of happy summer days.

Pool

 

Give Some Thought To Structure

Your property’s exterior consists of more than plants and green spaces. There are exterior structural features to consider too. The main caveat here lies in over-capitalisation. You don’t want to spend more than you will get back as a return on investment. With this in mind, here are a few structural considerations to keep in mind when it comes to exteriors.

  • Entertainment areas. Make sure your patio or braai area is clean and well-maintained. Making changes to create ambient lighting can also transform these areas from drab with stark lighting to moody in the flick of a switch. Depending on what you choose, this shouldn’t be an expensive upgrade, but it has the potential to be a real talking point.
  • Simple, inclusive garden design. Lots of paving edges with flowerbeds hold limited appeal to prospective buyers. Create spaces that hold universal appeal to as many people as possible. For areas that are paved, ensure they are neat and sound.
  • Walls and Fences. Security is a central consideration for many buyers – and so the nature and condition of walls and fences will likely hold particular interest.
  • Off-Road Parking. In the same security vein, off-road parking is something your buyer will probably expect. This includes lock-up parking, parking that’s under cover, and the amount of parking available for all occupants on the property.
  • Decking. Good quality decking is a safety and long-term maintenance factor. If you are installing a deck, give some thought to the cost versus appeal of sustainable materials, with upkeep in mind.
  • Irrigation. In the past, irrigation was very attractive when it came to buying and selling property. These days, however, complex irrigation systems have been relegated to the category of high maintenance.
  • Say No To Form Over Function. Pool pumps, tool sheds, and water pumps. These are a few structural features that can be an eyesore part of any garden. Be inventive and use plants, colour, and greenery to disguise the more functional side of your exteriors.

Property.CoZa: Your Number One Resource for Buying, Selling, and Renting Property

At Property.CoZa, we are passionate about providing the best property advice for anyone with property for sale, property to rent, or anyone looking to buy – and we aim to provide only the best resources for anyone looking to buy or sell property. If you have questions about your property value or are keen to list your property, find an agent or get in touch with us today.

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