Does Landscaping Increase Home Value? What Homeowners Should Know

What would be your guess as to what the first impression of your home is when guests or potential buyers arrive?

You guessed it….  your landscape!

The reality is that when a home is being built, the landscape is the last piece to the puzzle and therefore funds are at their lowest… so the landscape is often overlooked and or DIY’ed. Here is the kicker…. The average ROI on your landscape project is 104% (stat from Nat Assoc of REALTORS). So whether your landscape is at the bare minimum or nonexistent at all it deserves a refresh before going to the market.

Just like other household projects, there is a process for a landscape overhaul and it usually has a higher ROI (return on investment) if professionals are involved. Just as we walk through a DIY (do it yourself) kitchen remodel and can see the flaws that will happen with a landscape project.

Living in the NorthWest, hiring someone with expertise in this area is critical! We have SO much lush green surrounding habitats AND our yards go dormant for 5 months out of the year making it is imperative to have plants and a layout that will look nice year-round. 

3 things are often overlooked.

1. Sunlight
2. Blooming season
3. Architectural layout

Here in Washington, our sunlight varies more than anywhere else in the country both with hours of daylight (9hrs in the winter – 16hrs in the summer) and our seasonal cloud cover making it imperative to have plants that are native or can withstand such drastic changes.

Blooming season for each chosen plant will help with year-round beauty. Just because most plants will go dormant doesn’t mean we don’t want beauty or blooms in those dreary winter months! SO planning different seasons of blooms is a great idea for a NW landscape

Last piece to the puzzle is the architectural layout. Profession design is where you can really tell the difference between a DIY vs. a professionally designed yard. Someone who has gone to school to learn about the growth patterns, ins and outs of each species, and modern lines versus country sweeping settings and the plants that go with both are easily deciphered and will set your home apart from the competition.

There are many talented landscape teams around Gig Harbor and we have worked with them all!  If you want help with your project we can help be a guide. Reach out to get you headed in the right direction Happy Spring!