Long before potential buyers spot those new stainless steel appliances or freshly painted walls, they’ll see your yard. Curb appeal matters more than you think, which is why we tapped landscape designers to tell us the easy landscaping tricks to increase your home value.
The backyard is also important when it comes to getting the sale price you want. Upgrading your backyard with pathways, outdoor lighting, and other features helps potential buyers see what their life could look like in the space.
And if you’re not convinced yet, landscape designer Amy Hovis, principal and owner of Eden Garden Design in Austin shared the numbers with us: “With landscape improvements hovering at a 200 to 400% return on investment, it makes a lot of sense to hire a designer and do it right.”
Here are the best landscaping tricks to boost your property value.
Plot Beautiful Pathways
The walkways in your yard and garden aren’t just for practical purposes — they can provide visual interest too. “Designing transitions from a pool house with exterior hardscape, such as utilizing large scale stone and steps and pathways, you can navigate grade changes and at the same time create an architectural solution that is softened by landscape beds,” designer Carol Kurth of Carol Kurth Architecture + Interiors says. “Details such as pebbles between the pathway joints add a modern Zen touch to the landscape and help to define the aesthetic.”
Incorporate Lighting
“An element that adds drama to the landscape is integrating the usage of lighting, which further extends the use of your landscape into the evening hours,” Kurth says. “Creating outdoor living spaces and finding ways to navigate tricky terrain expands your home’s livable footprint, provides enjoyment, and blurs the boundaries between indoor and outdoor living.” Remember: You can do this fairly easily with solar-powered lighting!
Plant a Low-Maintenance, Sustainable Garden
“Landscaping is that silent ambassador that speaks volumes about your home, creating that crucial first impression,” says Gagan Saini, director of acquisitions at JiT Home Buyers. “An artfully landscaped garden is the x-factor that significantly uplifts your property’s value.” But many potential buyers aren’t going to want to put in too much effort to care for the garden, so low-maintenance features like irrigation systems can help boost your home’s value.
“Here’s something most people don’t know: Sustainable landscaping practices can significantly increase property value,” explains landscape architect Bryan Clayton, CEO of lawn-care marketplace GreenPal. “By implementing water-efficient irrigation systems, using native plantings, and opting for organic fertilizers, you demonstrate a commitment to sustainability. This appeals to environmentally conscious buyers and adds an extra layer of value.”
Develop Outdoor Living Spaces
Indoor-outdoor living is all the rage, even in four-season destinations, so you’ll want to build out an alfresco space for day-to-day use. The key is not to go overboard—just keep it simple. “If you’re designing for enjoyment now and ROI later, just think of adaptable, functional elements,” says design director Kevin Lenhart of the online landscape design site Yardzen. “In other words, focus on functional features like a fire pit area or flexible space like a patio, deck, or outdoor dining area that’s adaptable to many potential buyers versus very personalized features like a putting green, elaborate water feature, or built-in pizza oven.”
Make Difficult Terrain Usable
If you have a hilly property, go the extra mile to add retaining walls to create usable outdoor space. “Creating and revitalizing spaces with complicated terrain can transform an underutilized space and elevate a home in terms of enjoyment, lifestyle, and property value,” Kurth says. “Our Oasis project [shown above] illustrates how a site with a steep grade change can be transformed with fieldstone retaining walls — one of which was used to create an oversized herb garden for meals alfresco — and a thoughtful verdant landscape.”
Keep Up with Maintenance
This may sound obvious, but when you’re ready to list your home, be sure all your landscaping is impeccably maintained. Remember: First impressions are everything, and it’s all too easy to let landscaping get away from you as you prepare your home for sale. “Proper landscape maintenance is essential. Well-maintained lawns, trimmed hedges, and weed-free gardens contribute to a polished and cared-for appearance,” Clayton says.
Stefanie Waldek is a Brooklyn-based writer covering architecture, design, and travel. She’s worked on staff at Architectural Digest, ARTnews, and Oyster.com, a TripAdvisor company, and has contributed to Condé Nast Traveler, The Washington Post, Design Milk, and Hunker, among others. When she’s not dreaming about midcentury chairs, you can find her re-watching The X-Files, likely in an airport lounge or on a plane.
Jamie Ballard (she/her) is a freelance writer and editor who covers news, lifestyle, and entertainment topics, including sex and relationships, TV, movies, books, health, pets, food and drinks, pop culture, shopping, and personal finance. She regularly contributes to Cosmopolitan, Woman’s Day, Good Housekeeping, and YouGov, among other publications. When she’s not working, you can find her running, traveling, or scrolling TikTok. Follow her on Twitter.
