Does Lawn Care Affect Your Property Value?

If you are considering doing home renovations either for yourself or if you are considering preparing your house to put on the market, it is crucial to keep your property value in mind. Because your property value is only based on what the buyer and you, the seller, agree upon, the way your home looks at the buyer’s first impression sets the tone for their final offer. Because of this, your home renovations and upkeep should definitely include your front lawn. 

First Impression

Your property might have a beautiful open floor plan with bay windows allowing natural light to flood the sitting room, but those are not the first things potential buyers see. The first thing that is seen upon arrival are the state and size of the front lawn and the front porch. If a potential buyer has to bend down under low tree limbs to get to the front door or turn sideways to make their way past the shrubs, these things will stick with them as negatives when they evaluate what they are wanting to offer. While we try to teach our youth that it is important not to judge a book by its cover, it’s also important to remember that putting your best foot first is the best practice in getting what you want. In order to put your home’s best metaphorical foot first, consider cleaning up the front lawn for those potential buyers to have the first impression your property deserves!

Upkeep Over Time

It is important to remember that not all lawn issues can be fixed simply overnight. While you can certainly have it mowed and edged, there are some things that have to be upkept over time. While overgrown lawns are no good, short dead grass isn’t necessarily great either. Unless you are willing to do a whole lawn overhaul that could end up costing you, consider following these lawn care tips over time to help keep your property value up. 

• Watering – Water your lawn 3-4 times a week either early in the morning or late in the evening. Watering during these cooler hours will allow the dirt to absorb the water, keeping your grass nourished. 
• Mowing – Mow your grass when it is completely dry using sharp mower blades. You will want to mow at least twice a month, and be careful not to cut the grass too short as this can cause your grass to dry out and die. 
• Irrigation – installing a low-water use irrigation system can help you save a bundle on your water bill, and this feature is a bonus when it comes to your property value. 

Overall Perception

While it is difficult to put a hard monetary number on how much a maintained lawn helps your overall property value, when a new tenant or prospective buyer sees a well maintained front lawn, a connection is made to a well maintained house. As a potential buyer adds chores to their list of things they feel they have to do to a property, the lower their initial offer can get. But when they see a properly maintained front lawn with intentionally planted flowers or bushes, it communicates a general level of respect for the neighborhood and community. This is one of those factors that can take a house hunter from “I’m just shopping around” to “I want to live here”. This moment, while invaluable to them, is very valuable to you and your house selling process.