7 Outdoor House Renovations to Make for Sellers

7 Outdoor House Renovations to Make for Sellers
  • Author: Mahtab Idrees
  • Posted On: May 4, 2021
  • Updated On: July 2, 2023

Selling a house in the United States can take up to 70 days. When you’re looking to offload your home, the prospect waiting for more than two months to find a suitable buyer can be disturbing.

Thankfully, there are things you can do today to ensure that when the time comes for you to sell your home, buyers will want to snap it up right away. One of those things is investing in appropriate outdoor house renovations. The right outdoor renovations can also significantly boost your home’s value.

In today’s post, we outline 7 top outdoor home renovations that make the most sense for home sellers. But first,

Should You Opt for DIY or Hire a Professional for Outdoor Renovations?

Perhaps the top question you need to answer when considering any renovation project is whether to go about the task yourself or hire a professional. The answer depends on the project in question.

Some projects are simple enough for you to take on yourself, which helps keep your outdoor renovation budget low. Paint jobs for houses are a good example.

Note that you’ll need to have the right tools and equipment for a successful DIY. Thankfully, you can get most of these tools and equipment online, including more sophisticated tools like sonde transmitters. Check out this sonde transmitter guide for more information on this equipment.

Recognize which outdoor renovation projects require the expertise of a trained contractor. Attempting these projects without the necessary know-how can prove costly in the long run, besides putting you at potential risk.

Here Are the Outdoor House Renovations You Should Invest in

Renovating your house in any way will generally improve its appeal to buyers in some way. But some home upgrades draw buyers more than others. Here are our picks for outdoor renovation projects with the highest return on investment (ROI):

1. Replace the Garage Door

The garage door is arguably the most important component of your garage, particularly when it comes to keeping your valuables secure. If it’s been a while since you installed your current garage door, consider replacing it.

A new garage door can instantly enhance the curb appeal of your home. More importantly, you can expect to recoup about 98 percent of the replacement costs, according to Bob Vila. When a prospective buyer pulls up, a garage door in mint condition will help your home make a powerful impression.

2. Update Your Front Door

As you make cosmetic improvements to your home’s exterior, don’t forget your front door. It’s the first thing that greets interested buyers as they enter your home’s indoors, and you want to make sure it sets the right tone for the rest of the home tour.

If your front door is looking drab, swap it with a new unit that’s both functional and stylish. Expect to recoup 75 percent of what you spend on updating the door.

3. Improve the Lawn

An attractive lawn is another huge selling point for homes. Start implementing a lawn-care program early enough. That means supplying enough nutrients and reducing weeds.

Mow the lawn regularly to keep it looking good. Your efforts to achieve an enviable lawn will get numerous buyers interested in your property. More impressively, a healthy lawn has an ROI of 267 percent, according to Bob Vila.

Are you still planning to live in your home for the next three to five years before selling it for good? If yes, then revamping your lawn design is a good idea.

It can also increase the value of your property when you’re ready to sell it. In this way, you can make the most out of your landscape garden. If you’re too busy to plan the best way to redesign your outdoor living space, you can hire a landscape architect in Canberra to make your idea come true.

4. Invest in a Fire Pit

Fire pits are becoming common in homes for families. Installing one in your home can make summer evenings fun as you and your friends and family spend time roasting marshmallows or just bonding around the roaring fire.

Cast iron firepits are heavy because they’re made of solid metal which is highly efficient. This fire pit material does an excellent job in spreading heat. If you’re planning to leave your fire pit permanently set up, then cast iron is a good choice, especially if you have a luxury property to sell.

Besides helping you create memories; a fire pit can help you sell your home faster. Sure, you’ll need to spend a few thousand dollars on a fire feature with a gas burner and comfy patio area, but you can expect to recoup at least 67 percent of the cost when you sell your home.

5. Update the Facade

Few things impact your house’s curb appeal as much as the siding. Updating is a cost-effective way to boost the value of your home.

Replacing your home’s siding has an ROI of up to 95 percent. However, it needs to be done right, so hire an experienced home renovation service provider to take care of the job.

Focus most of your efforts on the front of your home. If your home currently has vinyl siding, consider replacing it with manufactured brick or stone veneer for the biggest impact.

If you can’t replace the siding for some reason, at least give it a proper power wash. Once the grime and dirt are removed, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how attractive your home now looks.

6. Install Outdoor Lighting

If you don’t already have outdoor lighting, now’s the time to add them. Such lighting helps deter burglars from targeting your home at night. Moreover, outdoor lighting can create a magical ambiance in your home’s yard.

Opt for stylish, effective, and efficient outdoor lighting. Some good options include motion lights and low-voltage landscape lights.

When installed and maintained well, outdoor lighting can make your home more attractive to potential buyers. Expect a 50 percent return on your investment.

Just make sure that the outdoor lights you’ll install are energy-efficient. If you want to create a romantic feel for your outdoor area in the evening, string lights make a great virtual staging that you can upload in your listing. Post lights, pendant lights, rope lights, lanterns, and wall lights are also perfect for outdoor lighting.

7. Plant Trees

Another simple way for a great home exterior is to plant trees. Well-maintained trees are among the top appealing features to homebuyers.

Expect to recover all the costs involved upon the sale of your home. That includes fertilizer costs, regular trimming and pruning, spraying expenses, and the cost of removing a tree if necessary.

Just make sure that tree roots aren’t invading your home’s foundation, walls, and any structure that can cause a major turn off to potential buyers. If your yard tree is very old and poses safety risks, then hire a tree removal expert to handle the job.

Invest in the Right Home Exterior Renovations When Selling Your Home

Your home’s exterior plays a huge role when it comes to making an impression on potential buyers. By investing in the appropriate outdoor house renovations, you can get buyers instantly drawn to your property and get to sell your home faster and for a better price.

Are you interested in more content on how to improve your home? Please keep visiting our blog.

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Author: Mahtab Idrees

Mahtab is all about lifestyle, home improvement, and interior decor trends. Her role as associate editor at ConstructionHow has helped her to offer genuine ideas, information, and intricate details about the special home editorial projects. As an interior designer by profession, she is solely focused on the latest trends and shares homeowner’s concerns as she also is a proud homeowner of two properties in mainstream locations.

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