Landscaping and Home Values

Nancy C. Somerville of the American Society of Landscape Architects is quoted in the real estate section of the New York Times as saying that good landscaping can add 15 to 20 percent to the value of a home.

A homeowner in Montclair, N.J., is hoping the added landscaping will help sell the home:

The couple knew that the house’s renovated kitchen and bathroom, new moldings and refurbished hardwood floors would turn a few buyers’ heads, but they understood, too, that unless the outside looked inviting, some of those buyers might never venture inside. So, in the weeks before the house was listed earlier this month at $532,500, they had the front yard cleaned and weeded and all the overgrown or dying shrubbery replaced with $700 worth of new bushes, flowers and ornamental grasses. The exterior was also power-washed and painted.

Not only are ornamental trees, plants, and flowers popular, but according to a Nyack agent:

“Becoming more and more important is the placement of large rocks, rock walls, stone fences and masonry in the landscaping.”

In our visits to the homes in this year’s Parade of Homes we noticed most homes had some sort of water feature and the higher end homes all had outdoor kitchens that went well beyond the normal gas BBQ.