Want to Increase Your Home's Value? Start Outside!

It's going to be a beautiful sunshiney day today so it feels like the perfect time to talk about switching your focus to the great outdoors when it comes to adding value to your home! The return on investment for outdoor projects is overtaking the more traditional "kitchens & bathrooms sell houses" mindset in a really big way so it's something all homeowners should consider, regardless of the price-point of their homes. To maximize your return just be sure to keep your improvements in-line with WITH your neighbourhood & the price-point of your home.


I have a client who bought a 1-year-old home last year and she said that she would probably stay there for 5yrs before she'd make her next move. We talked about how that home, in that location, would get her the best bang for her buck when it came time to sell, vs another home in a different location that she was also considering. The price for a similar home in that area is up almost $100k since then so it's safe to say that she made a good decision! At the time, we also talked about improvements that she could make that would help to force the appreciation even further and those were to replace the countertops (both kitchen & baths) with a more high-end product and to focus on curb appeal & the backyard. I think I mentioned that improving the shower in the master suite could be a good project as well...

If I were to give the same advice today, I'd say to go all-in on the outdoor spaces and not to worry about the counters or the shower (which are perfectly fine, just a little basic compared to the rest of the house). Builders don't put a lot of focus on the outdoor spaces so it's the perfect opportunity to not only increase your enjoyment of living in your home but to increase its value as well.
Landscaping is the only investment you can make that actually grows with time - Carson Arthur

Literally. Think about when you're buying plants at the garden centre, the smaller ones are less expensive while the larger, more mature ones cost more. Same thing holds true when they're planted in your yard, lol!

In this clip from this spring's Canada Blooms Show, Carson Arthur throws out some really impressive numbers...outdoor rooms account for 12% of your home's value, curb appeal 8%, outdoor kitchens equal to the value of an updated kitchen inside your house! I do disagree with his opinion about swimming pools being neutral, in our market they do add value...but the rest, I couldn't agree more!


Now landscaping is expensive, no question, but you can do it in stages which does make it more manageable. Personally, I've got a list that is always longer than the time or money that I have for outdoor projects, lol...I'm like the cobbler whose children don't have any shoes (did I just date myself with that expression?) in that I spend all my time telling other people what they should do & not actually doing it myself! :) I have GOT to get my front garden fixed up, a bad pruning job last year has really messed with my curb appeal! And I need a new garage door...and the driveway & walkway need to be resealed...ugh!

Here's a picture of my own outdoor room, which serves as my office from May to October (when I'm not in my car, that is) & this space just makes me happy! I LOVE spending time out here! This picture is from 3 years ago & it's currently getting a little re-fresh...I'll post an updated picture when it's done!


So there you have it, if you haven't already, plan some outdoor projects for this summer & enjoy watching your investment grow! :) And if you're preparing your home to sell it, don't overlook getting your curb appeal & backyard in the best shape possible because it's going to make you more money, I promise!

Have a fabulous day!








Additional Reading:

http://www.newhomesandrenovations.com/2014/04/08/doing-more-for-outdoors/

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