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Answers (18)
Best Answer
- alisa726
- Contributions:47
My husband is a landscape architect. There are many people who spend on landscape what most people would spend on buying their home. The greatest return on landscape is not to spend more that 30% of your home's value (so $100,000 house then landscape under $30,000). Also the landscape has the greatest return after 5 years of growth- so people who plant right before they put the house on the market are not getting the full potiential. You should expect a 75-100% return on landscaping that is done professionally and has had 5 years or more to grow.
- SoCal_Engr
- Contributions:5666
First, this is a really old thread (March 2009?). But...
"Just to give you some perspective, we have spent over $100,000 on our landscape and are told it will be one of the strongest selling features of our home by agents&appraisers."
On what? What is included in "landscaping"? In our neighborhood, "landscaping" includes hardscape as well as softscape. So, outdoor grill islands (with fridge, grill, sink), fire pits and outdoor fireplaces, conversation pits, secondary patios, pools/jacuzzis, etc. all fall under the term "landscape".
In some cases, especially where you can create an outdoor "room", I could see more ROI, but I still have a hard time with "75-100% return". Additionally, it would all depend on the other houses in the area, and the landscaping and/or hardscape that is "customary" for your neighborhood.
"Just to give you some perspective, we have spent over $100,000 on our landscape and are told it will be one of the strongest selling features of our home by agents&appraisers."
On what? What is included in "landscaping"? In our neighborhood, "landscaping" includes hardscape as well as softscape. So, outdoor grill islands (with fridge, grill, sink), fire pits and outdoor fireplaces, conversation pits, secondary patios, pools/jacuzzis, etc. all fall under the term "landscape".
In some cases, especially where you can create an outdoor "room", I could see more ROI, but I still have a hard time with "75-100% return". Additionally, it would all depend on the other houses in the area, and the landscaping and/or hardscape that is "customary" for your neighborhood.
- Laura McKenna, "LauraMcKennaHomes"
- Contributions:27
Hello,
I recommend that you speak with a real estate agent who has a talent for preparing a home for the market. Since I have not been to your home I don't know what your privacy issue is, and therefore cannot make a recommendation.
It's a great advantage for a seller to start preparing the landscaping in the back and front yard at least a year in advance, so that plants, grass and flowers are able to mature and look their best when the home comes onto the market.
Best,
Laura
I recommend that you speak with a real estate agent who has a talent for preparing a home for the market. Since I have not been to your home I don't know what your privacy issue is, and therefore cannot make a recommendation.
It's a great advantage for a seller to start preparing the landscaping in the back and front yard at least a year in advance, so that plants, grass and flowers are able to mature and look their best when the home comes onto the market.
Best,
Laura
- Rita A. Walker, "Rita Walker"
- Contributions:277
30000.00 worth of landscaping for a 100000.00 home. I believe your thinking might be a little skewed to imagine you would recoop that. in 5 years.
And who is giving you thumbs up on that?
And who is giving you thumbs up on that?
- dkbradley
- Contributions:4
That's a hard question to quantify in my opinion. I'm not a professional landscaper, but if the landscaping looks better then the other homes on the block and your home is attractive in terms of exterior then you have an opportunity to get a premium for your home. Hope someone just falls in love with it. People love outdoor spaces.
- Shawn Ryan Rosa, "sryan1980"
- Contributions:493
landscaping is huge! curb appeal is crucial. Even if the interior isn't quite as nice, great landscaping will get people in the home when you are ready to sell.
- Vanessa Rojas, "VanessaRojas1"
- Contributions:56
Landscaping can definately add value to your house. $5,000 does seem a bit high. Get a good numbers of bids and decide which will will be the lowest cost with the best work.
- scooter231
- Contributions:2
The question isn't about 'curb appeal, but cost. I agree with the person who ssays it is relative to many factors: the neighborhood, the market value of landscaping, i.e., the ROI (return on investment) for the region and locale. SmartMoney Magazine reported that landscaping (generally speaking), adds about 3% to the overall value of the home. If all the homes in your area are selling for a average cost of $200,000, and you've put $80,000 into landscaping, there is no way, you're gonna get $280,000 for your home. Talk to a local agent to get a sense of what the ROI will be BEFORE you hire a planner, landscape construction company, etc. Of course, if you are not planning to move...ever....spend all the money you can afford and that makes you happy!
- Ryan Bigbie, "Ryan Land Services"
- Contributions:5
The answer is dependent on a lot of variables.
We have some foreclosure homes where everything has been allowed to grow wild for months, where a simple $1500.00 landscape job has increased the curb appeal and appraisal value almost 15%!
$5K is alot to spend on trees and landscaping, so you need to enter wisely. Get more than one designer to create a plan for your home. Weigh your options, and compare the cost. Also take in to account the maintenance aspect. Will it cause more yard work for you as it matures?
Landscaping is always a value-adder if in moderation. I would get at least 3 quotes from reputable, licensed and insured contractors.
Happy Gardening!
Ryan
We have some foreclosure homes where everything has been allowed to grow wild for months, where a simple $1500.00 landscape job has increased the curb appeal and appraisal value almost 15%!
$5K is alot to spend on trees and landscaping, so you need to enter wisely. Get more than one designer to create a plan for your home. Weigh your options, and compare the cost. Also take in to account the maintenance aspect. Will it cause more yard work for you as it matures?
Landscaping is always a value-adder if in moderation. I would get at least 3 quotes from reputable, licensed and insured contractors.
Happy Gardening!
Ryan
- Brian Gwaltney, "Metro Maintenance"
- Contributions:315
5k seems a little high but of course it all depends. What kind of trees? What kind of soil. Irrigation install? What the neighborhood is like Etc...
30% of the homes value is ridiculously high, no offense. Might be appropriate if you have a tuscan manor sitting on five acres. If you have a 100k house on a 5k square foot lot I don't think so. Everything has to be proportional. You don't put gold faucets in your double wide.
I definitely agree that good landscaping can dramatically increase value in proportion to the amount spent. Get the lawn green. Trim the trees and shrubs back so you can see the home. Get some flowers and color out front to make it happy and inviting. Those are the basics.
The trick of landscaping is time, as mentioned above. Getting a wisteria to bloom or an elm to grow can't be hurried. That's where the value is. As in all things planning with the end in mind is key.
30% of the homes value is ridiculously high, no offense. Might be appropriate if you have a tuscan manor sitting on five acres. If you have a 100k house on a 5k square foot lot I don't think so. Everything has to be proportional. You don't put gold faucets in your double wide.
I definitely agree that good landscaping can dramatically increase value in proportion to the amount spent. Get the lawn green. Trim the trees and shrubs back so you can see the home. Get some flowers and color out front to make it happy and inviting. Those are the basics.
The trick of landscaping is time, as mentioned above. Getting a wisteria to bloom or an elm to grow can't be hurried. That's where the value is. As in all things planning with the end in mind is key.
- Carl Heldmann, "mrbuilder"
- Contributions:32
If a potential buyer is looking at two houses of comparable value (in the same area), the one with the best landscaping will win! Not only does well designed and well executed landscaping make a house "shine", a buyer knows it means less "work" for them after moving in.
Read Landscape Architect on Build Your Own House.
- alisa726
- Contributions:47
Maybe in neighborhoods where the builder offered landscape packages&put in builder grade plants. Anytime you work with a "professional" landscape company, they will give you a design of what they propose and a plant list. You should also get a plant warranty. You can also request where they get their plants, most luckily a nursery where they can be hand picked. So it is not the same quality as Lowes or Home depot. My husband gets the best plants & actual takes his clients to his growers to hand select their plant choices.
- 1wry1
- Contributions:12
Many professional landscaping jobs will make your house look even more like all of the other houses on the block. They install irrigation, slap in a lawn, and often will plant trees and shrubs that are not appropriate for the location.
- alisa726
- Contributions:47
Just to give you some perspective, we have spent over $100,000 on our landscape and are told it will be one of the strongest selling features of our home by agents&appraisers. When we invite new friends over & tell them where we live- they always say "oh the better homes & gardens house." Buyers will do drive bys and if the home does not have curb appeal they will not even sto to see how great the inside is.
- workabee
- Contributions:1030
About how much is your house worth? You want to make sure the landscaping isn't more ritzy than the house. Maybe you could do the landscaping in stages to save money.
- wetdawgs
- Contributions:26830
Are you replacing landscaping or starting from scratch? The outside of a house can help with the appeal to get buyers inside so if it is not landscaped now, then it will benefit. Will it give back a dollar for dollar benefit for selling the house? It is hard to tell.
- sunnyview
- Contributions:25139
I read somewhere that landscaping upped your value by about 10%. That number may be from the landscaping industry, but I do think it improves value and makes houses sell faster. It makes homes seem more inviting and polished if done well.
- 42965
- Contributions:1
I personally think that anything that is going to make your home look inviting is a definite plus. Its best to get a full a scope of work involved from the landscape company. It is also important that the work involves minimum up keep from the home owner. That basically means plants, trees and shrubs will come up each year (i.e perennials), that also support the area with indigenous products. I believe that if you make a wise enhancement to to your home and keep the perspective that that choice would make you buy it back then you have decided correctly. But cost is also a factor, so choose wisely and do some of it your self; just use the landscape company for guidance as well..
How much does professional landscaping add to a home's value?
My husband is balking at the price and so I would really like to know...
Thank you!
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