You may be thinking it’s time to start doing some renovations on your yard, but you’re still not sure if you should spend the majority of your outdoor renovation budget on the front yard or in the backyard. Before you come to a decision, read on to see what you should consider before you come to a decision. Let’s dig in, shall we?
The Front Yard
Curb appeal is very important to anyone arriving at your home for the first time. First impressions are everything – a lot of people judge your entire home by the front yard alone! This is especially true if most of the other homes in your neighbourhood have landscaped and well-maintained front yards. Most people who are looking into buying a home, as well as home appraisers, will be looking at the front yard of a home with keen eyes. If you’re thinking of selling your home in the near future it may be wise to invest more time and money into the front.
The Backyard
If your family enjoys spending time in your yard, the back of your home is a wise place to invest your money. Building a deck to dine and relax on is a great investment for both your enjoyment and property value. Be wary not to spend too much time and money on landscaping your gardens and lawn, though. This can create a lot of upkeep and having too many areas of flowers and trees can overwhelm your yard.
Building an “outdoor room”, which is basically a pergola-style structure with a proper floor, walls or rails and roof, has become popular over the past few years and will allow you to have an extra place to sit when entertaining outside. Sometimes these extra “rooms” will likely net you a higher appraisal. A lot of people enjoy seeing extra structures like this when they’re looking at buying a home. However, be wary about this investment if you won’t use it often. We’re lucky to live here in Victoria where it can be used throughout most of the year with a small fire pit or even blankets. If you live in almost any other climate in Canada, your time to use this will be limited to only a few months. You’ll need to decide if it’s worth the investment.
The Bottom Line
Really any renovation you do on your home – inside or out, front yard or backyard – could increase its value and make it more appealing to potential homebuyers. Not to mention, these improvements create a more enjoyable living environment for you and your family. Think about what’s important to your family and decide which part of your yard to concentrate on. You can also divide up your budget and make improvements all around.
Contact Pemberton Holmes
The friendly, knowledgeable REALTORS® at Pemberton Holmes can assist you in not only buying or selling a home but with answering any questions about Victoria, BC real estate. We can even make suggestions on how to increase the value of your home for preparing it for sale. Contact us today for more information.
