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The appetizer course
The question of the day is how much does landscaping really impact the value of your home? When it comes to the outdoors, spending money on renovations has never been so important or so confusing, with sellers getting large dollars for homes that have no curb appeal at all.
To make it simple, think about your property like a three-course meal. The front yard is the appetizer. It sets the stage for the dinner, and hopefully leaves your guests anticipating more. The house is definitely the meat and potatoes of your property. It is the substance of the meal. Finally, the backyard, which like the dessert course, finishes the space.
Whether you’re having guests over for dinner or trying to impress potential buyers, people naturally start forming an opinion of your home from the moment they see it. That said, you only get one chance to make a first impression. For years we were told that first impressions were made at the front door or at the front hallway. This is definitely not the case. Your front yard is the very first thing people see when they come to your home.
Front yards have been getting more attention by realtors and housing experts because of first-impression numbers. Several online sources place the value of curb appeal and a home’s first impression between five to eight per cent of the home’s worth.
Items like shade trees and front walkways contribute to higher returns, as do front porches and sitting areas. While plants and gardens are important to the overall appeal, too many flowers in the front yard intimidate buyers looking for low-maintenance homes. As my general rule, I try to keep the front yard landscaping at seven per cent of a homeowner’s renovation budget. That number does not include the driveway, even though it may be at the front of your home. You also need to consider the return-on-investment for your outdoor renovation. According to Remodeling Magazine’s 2021 Cost-vs-Value Report, a kitchen renovation has an expected return of 72.2 per cent if you sell the home within five years of the completion of the work. After five years, that number steadily drops as styles change. Landscaping, especially in the front yard, not only has an immediate return according to Century21 Canada’s online report, it also increases in value over time as plants, trees and shrubs continue to grow! Many online sources cite landscaping as the only renovation that can double in value every ten years, making it better than even many monetary investment portfolios.
Personally, I love to drive through neighbourhoods like Wellington on the Lake and look at the landscaping and the houses. Some homeowners put a lot of detail into their front yards with shrubs, flowers, trees and even seating areas. You can tell they care for their spaces, and it’s not a big leap to assume the inside of the house looks as nice as the outside. I measure the success of a good front yard by how much I want to see the rest of the property. Other homeowners go with the standard foundation plants, an evergreen and a large lawn. While there’s nothing wrong with this default design, there’s also nothing inspiring about these yards either. They don’t leave me wanting more. Even in a booming real estate market, making the most of your front yard is the best way to get guests (and potential buyers) smiling before they even walk through the front door.
So what is your yard saying? Is it time to make a change? Landscaping the front of your house is not only is a secure investment, it’s the best way to make a fantastic first impression!
Before and after. A Carson Arthur transformation.
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