The Best Landscaping Projects To Boost Home Value

Outdoor improvement projects are having a moment. The pandemic may have been the impetus behind a surge in home owners placing significant importance on their outdoor spaces. A report by New Trends Institute notes that 1/3 of young homeowners revamped their outdoor spaces in 2020 or later. All projects detailed below contribute directly or indirectly to your home's curb appeal, a factor that nearly 100% of National Association of Realtors (NAR) members consider important for attracting buyers. Keep in mind that buyers will see your outdoor spaces before they see the interior of your home, so these projects help you make an impactful first impression.

Don't let this list overwhelm you. You'll find projects at all levels of expense, effort, and return on investment. Consider tackling projects in tandem, such as a deck or patio with a firepit, a pond or water feature as part of a firewise landscape, or a landscaped walkway with lighting. Many gorgeous landscaping ideas that will liven up your yard will also add value to your property.

The simple fact that your yard has a landscaped look can boost your home's value. The NAR has reported that homeowners who undertake such an upgrade recoup 100% of their costs in added value. You don't have to spring for a massive, expensive overhaul of your home's grounds; you can deploy many small backyard landscaping ideas that will transform your space, such as adding shrubs and statement flowers. You also may not need to hire a professional — 40% of the homeowners in the NAR research went DIY for their landscape overhaul projects.

Homeowners love trees for their aesthetic value and the shade they provide. Aggregated studies have shown increases of from 3.5 to 27% in the value of properties with trees (via Arbor Day Foundation). Interestingly, your property value rises even more if tree coverage is available but not actually on the property, such as from a neighbor, easement, or adjacent park. You guessed it; homeowners love the shade from trees but don't like to maintain them. If you're counting on your trees to add value to your property, make sure they are healthy, well-maintained, and pruned. 

A firepit is a simple outdoor feature that can add major value to your home, as buyers can easily imagine their families gathered around it, laughing, singing, telling stories, and roasting marshmallows. That's why you can expect the feature to add value, but according to data from Global Growth Insights, you'll earn an average of just 67% return on your fire feature investment when you sell your home. Overall, a fire feature can add 1.1% to your resale price (via Zillow).

The National Association of Realtors places decks on its top 10 list of value-adding outdoor improvements, although decks are most desirable in areas where the climate allows for lots of time outdoors. Adding a deck should result in a 76% return on investment. Be aware that once you add a deck, you'll need to maintain it (especially wood decks that will need periodic re-staining), so you'll want to sell shortly after building it to prevent maintenance from cutting into your ROI.

What gardener or lawn owner doesn't appreciate the ease and convenience of an automatic sprinkler system that keeps your yard lush and beautiful? While they are a relatively pricey improvement, these systems do pay off in home value and return on investment. What should you expect to spend on a lawn sprinkler system? In 2025, homeowners can expect to spend between $1,600 and $10,000, with a national average of $2,500. Keep in mind these systems not only boost your home's value by $5,000, but also return 83% of the cost to your pocket. 

Make your yard more usable at night by adding lighting to your landscape. It makes your landscape more visually appealing, makes it easier to navigate the landscape in the dark, and may discourage burglars from approaching. Myriad possibilities are available for outdoor lighting. You can find plenty of outdoor walkway lighting ideas that add ambiance and make your yard safe, such as spotlights and string lights. Save on energy costs by using solar lights. You can expect about a 59% return on investment by adding outdoor lighting, with the average cost of $6,800 for the installation (via NAR).

Since creating an outdoor space dedicated to cooking and dining is an expensive undertaking, you'll want to know how much an outdoor kitchen adds to a home's value. Given that you could spend anywhere from $15,000 to $100,000, this is probably not the kind of investment to make just to make your home more marketable. The National Association of Realtors suggests an investment on the lower end including a built-in grill, 60 square feet of countertop, sink, ice chest, and stainless steel drawers. You can expect a 100% return on investment from such a configuration.

Water features, are among the ways to refresh your backyard landscape on a budget and add a little value to your home at the same time. No, they are not a huge value-add, but then they also don't have to cost much. You can DIY a water feature for no more than $50. Their main claim to value is in their curb appeal, aesthetics, and calming effect on people. Like most landscaping projects, a water feature needs to be well maintained to have a positive impact.

If you thought a deck would increase your home's value, wait till you learn about patios. They are high on the list of what homebuyers really want, and they offer a higher return on investment than decks — 95% compared to 76% (via NAR). Of course, much depends on cost of materials, patio size, location, and whether you are DIYing the project, but you are likely to recover around $10,000 if you spend $10,500 on a basic patio.

Adding a pond to your landscape is a big undertaking that adds recreational possibilities to your property — fishing, watching wildlife, and perhaps swimming or wading. You'll also discover practical and environmental benefits of adding a pond to your garden, such as providing a reservoir to draw from for irrigation or fire-fighting, or as a livestock water source. According to American Forest Management data, compared to bare land, land with an added pond can be expected to command 6% more in price. You will, however, want to check on any local regulations regarding ponds and maintain the pond impeccably.

In a study by the National Home Builders Association, 73% of participants (architects, designers, and similar professionals) said they were making outdoor rooms a priority. Outdoors rooms extend usable living space and provide privacy and versatility. Covered outdoor rooms are especially sought out for their adaptability to weather conditions. Outdoor kitchens are not the only possible rooms. Kids' areas and outdoor living rooms are also popular. Many variables accompany the value of outdoor rooms, but real estate and landscaping experts say the return on investment for covered living rooms is 60 to 80% (via BPI Outdoor Living).

With wildfire seasons lengthening and more acreage burning, homeowners and buyers are looking for ways to help protect homes against fires. Firewise landscaping means using plants and hardscaping that are fire-resistant and creating defensible space around your home that allows first responders to effectively control fire in the path to your home. If you live in a fire-prone area, you'll want to implement firewise practices for your own sake, as well as for the added value. In fact, in certain areas, your home will prove a deterrent to homebuyers without a firewise landscape, largely based on insurance costs. 

Walkways invite us into the landscape, create a sense of flow, and enable us to navigate it efficiently and safely. You can choose from a variety of materials for your walkways and line them with gorgeous plants. Realtor.com places added walkways on its list of improvement projects with the best ROI — as much as 80%, for an investment between $1,500 and $4,500. Walkways show homebuyers you've gone the extra mile and maintained your property well. This project need not break the bank, either; try a budget-friendly DIY to create a charming garden walkway.

Pergolas are not only an affordable and stylish backyard upgrade, but they are also another way to add defined space to your landscape and create the room-like effect outdoors that homebuyers look for. Whether you go with the traditional slatted or lattice roof that provides limited protection from the elements or a more modern solid roof, a pergola will make a bold and value-adding statement in your landscape. According to estimates from Homelight, a 69% return on your pergola investment could await if your pergola includes a patio-like paver floor.

A landscaped front yard with plantings is one of the best upgrades to raise a home's value. A front yard do-over need not be expensive. You can deploy a number of low-maintenance ways to landscape a front yard for added curb appeal, such as planting blooming trees and adding pots full of lush plants. The front yard and entrance are also the place for seasonal color and decor, such as special plantings and ornamental items for holidays like Halloween, Independence Day, and Christmas.

Given that homebuyers are attracted to privacy and security, fences and hedges as ways to separate properties can add value. Fences are especially useful for containing kids and pets and keeping them away from nearby street traffic. Fencing is another potential value-add item that is not cheap, but you can consider affordable fencing ideas to enclose your yard. Professional fence installation will likely run you between an average of $2,000 and $4,500, but installing it yourself will obviously save on labor costs. Look for a 50% return on investment, meaning $950 to $2,400 in resale value (via Angi).

Adding fresh mulch is the cheapest and easiest project on the list. You may already have mulch in your garden beds, but adding a fresh layer makes a huge difference in the curb appeal of your property. Mulch makes a great first impression and gives your landscape a tidy, well-maintained look. According to estimates from Homelight, $340 in fresh mulch could provide a 126% return on your investment. Of course, the big bonus is that mulch is not just a cosmetic treatment, but is good for your plants, helping them retain moisture, stay warm, and fight off weeds.