Easy Landscaping to Help Sell Your Home

Love at first sight—it's what you want prospective buyers to feel when they lay their eyes on the home you’ve put up for sale.

Keeping your yard in tip-top shape is the best way to make that happen. A well-groomed landscape not only makes a great first impression, but it can also drive up the value of your home.

Before plopping a “For Sale” sign out front, read through some tips that can help you turn the best profit on your home.

Landscaping Effect on Home Value (and how to!)

Believe it or not, increasing your home’s value doesn’t require a fancy patio or a flowing fountain. These perks do add to a home’s overall appeal, but simple things like planting new flowers or trimming pruning trees can also make a statement.

Does landscaping increase appraisal?

Potential homebuyers appreciate a good-looking landscape, so much so that they’d pay more for a home surrounded by pops of color and large, well-maintained trees. How much more, you ask? Get this: researchers over at Virginia State University found that landscaping can add anywhere between 5.5 to 12.7 percent to the value of a home! That means buyers would fork over approximately $8,000 to $19,000 more for a $150,000 home with a neat landscape design.

What's the return on investment for landscaping?

According to Texas Tech University, for every $1 you invest in upgrading your landscape, you could add $1.35 to the value of your property. But even if your efforts don’t quite tally up to that return on investment, one thing's for sure—when you take time to improve your landscape, buyers take notice.

What are some easy landscaping tips to sell a house?

Researchers at Michigan State University found that homebuyers value sophisticated design most when they’re critiquing a home’s curb appeal. While that may sound like a big ask, giving your landscape a refined look is easier than you think.

Here are five simple ways you can spruce up your landscape and help sell your home:

• Keep it clean. Sure, piles of leaves or stringy weeds are eye-catching, but not for the right reasons. Keep your yard as tidy as possible while your home is on the market by raking leaves and pulling weeds from flowerbeds and driveway cracks.
• Prune and trim. Your trees are what really helps your home sell for top dollar, so they should look their best. Prune trees to give them a good shape and healthy look. And, while you’re at it, trim hedges and shrubs so they also have a crisp appearance.
• Mulch your flower and tree beds. A layer of fresh mulch around plants and trees instantly gives your yard a neat and polished look.
• Mow the lawn. Overgrown grass can really distract from the beauty of your home, so keep the lawn mowed to make room for the main attraction. Plus, edging your lawn along the driveway and plant beds is the perfect finishing touch. If selling during the spring dandelion season, make sure you’ve controlled them as best you can.
• Add a pop of color. Potential homebuyers will be drawn to a colorful and inviting yard. Add a distinct glow to your property by planting bright-colored annuals or staging potted plants near the front door.

Not sure where to start? Have an arborist walk through your property and pick out the selling points.