If you’ve ever watched any kind of DIY or home renovation show you have likely heard the term “curb appeal”. People are more likely to buy a house when it is aesthetically pleasing on the outside.

You know how much you love your home and the work you’ve put into it over the years: painting, new counter tops, new cabinets, hardwood floors – the works. And it’s beautiful, but how much effort have you put into the exterior of your home? Does the outside match the inside?

It might be time to take a look at some landscaping for your yard, especially if you’re planning to sell during the spring to fall months.  However, just how much should you put into your yard and will you see that return come selling time?

Stay conservative

You may have heard it said before, but something is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. If you put a lot of money into a landscaping project but you install or create something that only suits a small portion of people, you might have a hard time finding buyers who also appreciate the yard work. Instead, by staying conservative with your yardwork you will find your return is better. Also, by keeping it mild, potential buyers will more likely be able to see themselves enjoying the yard with their kids, or hosting summer dinner parties.

Make it pretty, but not too pretty

Of course, a home with beautiful gardens and magazine-worthy grass looks amazing, and you’ll likely hear compliments from neighbours and friends every time they visit, but this kind of yard is a lot of work. If you choose to invest a significant amount of money into landscaping with extensive gardens and trees then your home may only appeal to a small number of people. If you have dead trees you’ll want to hire one these tree removal companies in AZ to help get them out. Wait, what? Yes, almost everyone enjoys the look of a professionally landscaped yard but not every buyer will want, or be able, to put the same amount of time and money into that you did. Having a yard that is too high maintenance can turn off potential buyers, especially if it’s their first home or they live a busy lifestyle with children and growing commitments.

Again, by staying conservative but using the First Call Tree services to care for lawns and even a small garden with a few trees allows for the new buyer to appreciate that you’ve taken care of this yard and give them confidence that the house was well looked after.  If the yard is too much for them they might feel overwhelmed or they simply may not like the direction you took.

So, how much will my return be?

Well, that’s really difficult to say. On some television shows you will see examples where they invested $20,000 into the landscaping and got $100,000 to $200,000 more than they paid for the home just a few years before that. This would mean, on the high end, a 1,000% return. Is that going to be the case for everyone?  Probably not, but improving your yard will definitely make your home eye-catching, and it will create a better first impression.

If you are selling your home in the Burlington, Waterdown and Dundas area, we recommend talking to a member of the Woolcott team.  There are a lot of factors that come to play when selling a home, such as the season, your neighbourhood, and market trends.   We have years of experience selling homes, and can offer suggestions to help you get the best value for your home.

Reference: More details on garden and tree care at the Oxleas Trees website.