Does landscaping increase property value?
Landscaping not only increases curb appeal, but can give real estate properties a 15 percent increase in value, says a Virginia Tech study. The study discovered that the perceived value of a home is affected by plant size, type, and design in landscaping.
A review of research by Virginia Tech Horticultuist Alex Niemiera found that a well landscaped home had a significant price advantage over a home with no landscaping. That advantage ranged from 5.5 percent to 12.7 percent. That translates into an extra $16,500 to $38,100 in value on a $300,000 home.
This research shows landscaping goes beyond simply sticking flowers and shrubs in the ground. According to the study, the biggest factor that buyers look for in home exteriors is a design that is sophisticated. Plant size and maturity comes in second.