Good Landscaping Adds Value

Homeowners looking to increase their home’s value don’t have to look much further than their own front year. Recent research from Michigan State University finds that attractive landscaping adds 5 percent to 11 percent to a home’s base value.

In the 2005 study, 1,323 volunteer participants in seven states viewed photographs of 16 landscaped residences. The landscapes were constructed using varying levels of three landscaping components: plant material, plant size and design sophistication.

Participants preferred the homes with more sophisticated designs that incorporated large leafy, evergreen and colored plants, while homes with landscapes featuring smaller plants and minimalist designs were viewed as less valuable. Design sophistication was the most important attribute in all seven states tested, accounting for 40 percent to 45 percent of the value added to the home, followed by plant size and plant sophistication.