Author: Brian Maurer
Simple Landscaping Transformations that Adds Value to Your Home
If you've been thinking about selling your home, you may be wondering what your best options are for maximizing the amount of money you can get from the sale. A front yard flip is an option you should consider to get top dollar in today’s housing market. If you're not fully aware of what a front yard flip is, it's the process of changing your front yard to increase the value of your home. This process can be as simple as planting flowers or as complicated as remodeling your entire yard. Mainly though, if you're looking to sell it's best to not overdo it. Keep it simple, keep it clean and your home will shine in the open market. I'll go over a few of the benefits of a front yard flip below and how Brian-Kyles Landscapes of Distinction can help.
What is a front yard flip?
A front yard flip is a landscaping transformation that doesn’t take a long time to complete, adds value, and curb appeal to your home. Look at your property and imagine what it would look like with a fresh mulch bed, new plants, and pruning, all of that can quickly be achieved with a front yard flip.
It might surprise you that a simple front yard flip can give you a better return on your investment than most major home upgrades and remodels. I’ll dig into the financials below.
The short answer to what makes a front yard flip successful is hard work, patience, and a lot of upfront research. The good news is Brian-Kyles will do all of this for you and increase your odds of adding the most value to your home without second-guessing or spending too much time or money on something that you like, but the potential next homeowner might not like.
An example of a front yard flip completed by Brian-Kyles Landscapes of Distinction in the summer of 2021.
The Benefits of a Front Yard Flip
Making your home more appealing to the buyer by improving curb appeal and making the front of your home more visually appealing can increase the value of your home. Making a few small changes to your front yard can make it a more desirable home on the open market. Completing a front yard flip has proven time and time again to increase the value of properties and sell the property faster. Below you’ll learn about the potential cost and return on investment.
How to Complete a Front Yard Flip
Completing a front yard flip takes time, knowledge, and physical labor. If you’re reading this, odds are you’re looking for a professional landscaper to do it for you. If you are located in Northeast Ohio, Brian-Kyles Landscapes of Distinction specializes in projects such as these and they will work with you to give you the best return on your investment.
After the plan for your new landscaping is agreed on and you’re scheduled this project takes professionals a day or two to complete on your property. It's best to schedule your landscaper as soon as possible because of schedule wait times, planning, prep, and ordering supplies.
If you’re going to tackle this project yourself don’t forget to budget for waste removal and delivery of products. I say that first because as a homeowner I too forget how many trips to the local hardware store I have to make and how to get rid of bulky waste.
Other questions to ask yourself are, do you have the time? Do you have the tools? Are you physically able to complete the project? In this scenario of flipping your landscape, hiring professionals that will take care of everything for you is a great solution to the problem.
The Return on Your Investment
If you’re selling your home, getting your place ready for the housing market is a stressful and time-consuming process for most everyone. Homeowners look for ways to invest in their property to get the best return on their investment.
According to HGTV, a minor bathroom remodel is #1 on their list of the top home updates that pay off. Minor bathroom remodels in their estimation costs on average of $10,500 and the average return at resale is 102%.
Number two on their list is landscaping. The average return at resale for landscaping is 100%. Yes, landscaping comes in with a better return on investment than a kitchen remodel. Kitchen remodels ROI is 98.5%.
A Virginia Tech study also discovered a well-landscaped home is 5.5% to 12.7% more valuable. An example would be the value of a $300,000 home in Rocky River, Ohio would be worth between an extra $16.500 to $38,100 more. This example is on the high side of ROI especially when it comes to a front yard flip. But it does show how landscaping is always on the top of the list for homeowners and potential buyers.
The Cost
I’ll give you a ballpark number, but first, remember what a front yard flip is. It’s a quick transformation, a new mulch bed, new plants, and a fresh look. It isn’t a major home renovation or home addition, but in terms of return on your investment, it’s just as valuable as those. The cost varies from project to project and depends on square footage, what’s coming out, and what’s going in. As you can imagine the price can’t be pegged down in an article because every project is different.
The ballpark price for a professional front yard flip is between $3,500 to $5,500. Again, too many variables to give a set in stone price, but the team at Brian-Kyles will work within the budget that’s agreed upon and give you a great result.
Why Complete a Front Yard Flip? The Real-World Answers
I’ve gone over the benefits, the cost, and the potential return on your investment. If you’re still contemplating completing a landscaping project before you sell your house, here are a few reasons why you should invest in landscaping.
Imagine the outside of your home as a room inside your home. Your landscaping is an extension of your home. If you put your house on the market and a potential buyer comes in and you have a kitchen that’s dated and needs work, they’ll remember that, and odds are not put in an offer. Your landscaping is the same thing.
Remember when I said selling a home is a stressful and time-consuming process? Buying a home is the same. Who wants to move into a home and immediately start a project? Some might but most buyers don’t.
Another big reason is it's an out-of-pocket cost. It’s expensive to buy a home and for most people, all of their money is tied up in moving expenses and closing costs. If the landscaping is done and they don’t have to pay for it out of pocket or charge it on a credit card, it’s a huge benefit for them because now they have new landscaping that’s rolled into their new mortgage payment. That’s probably the biggest real-world answer.
First Impressions: Here Come the Bids
Having great landscaping will leave a lasting impression on people who are looking at photos of your home online and in-person when they take a tour. If you checked all the boxes when listing your property, a nice landscape could be a deciding factor on how much someone will bid on your home.
Now, in the summer of 2021, the housing market is at near-record highs, homes are selling fast, and often a bidding war between buyers occurs making homes in Northeast Ohio sell for more than 10% over the asking price. It’s been proven time and time again. Investing in landscaping pays off.
Conclusion
If you want to get the most money for your home contact Brian-Kyles to have them complete your front yard flip. The dedicated team at Brian-Kyles will help you make the right choices to get the most out of your budget. Need help in the backyard? Brian-Kyles Landscapes of Distinction can do that too.
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