You’ve heard of curb appeal, but what about backyard appeal? Your backyard is an extension of your home and can add or detract from its value.
Although most improvements will increase your property value, they don’t all provide the same return on your investment when it’s time to sell.
Since the pandemic, people have been spending more and more time at home and in their yards. With remote work options looking like a longer-term trend, the home environment is at the front and centre of people’s minds.
Investing in home improvements, including making the backyard into a place people want to spend extended periods of time, has become a pandemic pastime for many.
Staycations have been the default option for most, making backyards a high priority for homeowners and home buyers.
5 Backyard Tips to Increase Your Home’s Value
Creating your own backyard oasis can help sell your home faster and for a higher price. Our MPG real estate agents can help you decide which improvements make sense for your home, considering the neighbourhood, the real estate market and current trends.
Here are some great tips that don’t require lumber (which is in short supply these days) and won’t break the bank.
Backyard Tip #1: Add Privacy
Private backyards are high on the wish list of many home buyers, and fences aren’t the only option for doing this. Hedges provide as much privacy as a fence but are generally more attractive.
Even in smaller areas, like a condo balcony, you can increase the feeling of seclusion by incorporating a row of tall planters, a vertical garden, a trellis or a privacy screen. Get some inspirational ideas on how to make your outdoor spaces more private here or here.
Backyard Tip #2: Keep it Easy to Maintain
From a resale perspective, lower maintenance features will have broader appeal than high maintenance features. This applies to lawn care, gardens, landscaping and water features.
Low maintenance shouldn’t translate to dull and lifeless, though. You want to find that balance where your yard is inviting and comfortable but doesn’t create extra work.
If having a koi pond in your backyard is a lifelong dream, go for it. Just don’t assume that it will add value to your home when it comes time to sell. It may be a labour of love to you, but not everyone will want to take on the maintenance costs associated with having one.
Backyard Tip #3: Make the Space Usable After Dark
Backyard date night, anyone? Consider giving your backyard space a romantic ambience by adding lighting along the pathways or around decks, gazebos and pergolas. Solar-powered lights can be an excellent option to avoid having to worry about outdoor wiring.
When selling your home, you want potential buyers to visualize themselves using the space.
A table set with candles and wine glasses and some extra mood lighting can evoke images of a romantic barbecue dinner for two. An outdoor fire pit with seating can bring to mind quality family time sipping hot chocolate and making s’mores by the fire on a cool autumn evening.
Backyard Tip #4: Add Protection from the Elements
You want to create outdoor spaces that are usable even during the heat of an Ottawa summer and at the height of mosquito season. Adding some protection from the elements with a pergola or a gazebo can make your yard more liveable and inviting.
A pergola has open sides and a slatted roof and offers partial protection from the sun. Many also come with a canopy or louvres that can provide extra privacy or keep the bugs at bay.
Gazebos have closed roofs and offer full shade. They come in a wide range of styles and prices, from portable canvas pop-ups with no floor to permanent wooden structures.
Backyard Tip #5: Make it Homey
Last but definitely not least, create a homey feel in your backyard, somewhere that brings to mind happy thoughts of socializing with friends or hosting family gatherings.
Aside from pergolas and gazebos, decks and patios can be used to create the feel of an outdoor room. Furnish these spaces with a comfortable conversation set or some hanging hammock chairs.
Looking to improve your home’s backyard appeal? Our MPG real estate agents can tell you what changes you can make to provide the best return on investment. Get in touch with us today.
Buy and sell with confidence. Choose MacDonald Property Group.
At The MacDonald Property Group, we have a dedicated, national award-winning full-service team all under one roof, ready to provide the expertise you can trust. Our team and associates are recognized as the top 1% in North America since 2010.
With over twenty-five years of experience in all aspects of real estate, we have bought and sold well over a thousand homes. We’ve been honoured to help thousands of clients in Barrhaven and across the Ottawa area close a deal with confidence and satisfaction. Give us a shout and let us show you what we can do for you!