This article was originally published by Colorado Patio & Landscape.
The regular maintenance services that landscapers provide their clients are the most likely to help those clients sell their homes, according to a joint report by the National Association of Landscape Professionals and the National Association of Realtors.
The 2018 Remodeling Impact: Outdoor Features report, published in May, is based on data from three different surveys: one conducted by NALP of over 450 member companies; one conducted by NAR of nearly 7,000 Realtors; and one conducted by HouseLogic.com of over 4,000 consumers.
NALP asked its landscaper members to estimate what it would cost to complete a series of landscaping projects, assuming a residential property of 2,466 square feet and using standard materials.
HouseLogic is a consumer site owned by NAR. It surveyed consumers to find out how happy or satisfied they were with their most recent outdoor project and calculated a Joy Score to rank the most satisfying projects to consumers.
The NALP and HouseLogic surveys were conducted in March and April. In May, NAR surveyed its Realtor members about the value of different outdoor projects and the potential they had to help close a sale.
The report found that consumers were more satisfied with flashier, big-ticket projects, but the higher price tag on those jobs made it harder for them to make back what they spent. Furthermore, the most emotionally valuable outdoor projects to consumers were less likely to close a home sale.
However, as much as landscaper professionals should be aware of the impact their work has on clients’ resale potential, it’s just as important to make sure their customers are happy while they’re actually living with the project.
Missy Henriksen, vice president of public affairs for NALP, noted in a statement that landscapers have no shortage of opportunities to please their clients.
“This report validates that landscaping is an investment worth making, offering the immediate benefits of increased enjoyment of your property, as well as desirable long-term value that holds if or when it comes time to sell,” she said.
Here are the top outdoor projects by consumers’ Joy Score.
Danielle Andrus was previously the managing editor for Colorado Builder, and is currently Editor for the Journal of Financial Planning.
