The Backyard Water Feature That Can Seriously Boost Your Home Value (If You Do It Right)

When you're putting your house on the market, a lot of factors go into how much you'll be able to sell it for. In fact, your house interior isn't the only thing that matters. Your home's yard is actually a big part of the equation as well, so much so that some simple outdoor upgrades can have a 100% return on investment, according to the National Association of Realtors. Among all the tricks you could try to spruce up your garden for sale, adding an outdoor water feature to your landscaping stands out as a yard design idea with great potential for return on investment. When it comes to backyard water features, koi ponds in particular are a sought-after, valuable investment opportunity.

With their exotic vibe, koi ponds can infuse any property with a luxurious feel that many buyers appreciate. In fact, some buyers are ready to pay more money for a home that boasts this unique feature, as they might perceive the property as more valuable. While you'll have to factor in the cost to install and maintain a koi pond, this aesthetic, serene outdoor feature might be well worth it when it's time for your garden to attract buyers.

For koi ponds to deliver on their value potential, it's not enough to just put one in your backyard and call it a day. A koi pond requires specific, regular care if you don't want it to become a backyard feature that's hurting your home's real estate value instead of boosting it. Without proper maintenance, your koi pond is in danger of poor water quality, algae overgrowth, debris accumulation, reduced water oxygen, and even diseases. Apart from dulling the look of your koi pond, all of these factors can significantly affect the koi fish inside and even result in their death. And without the koi, you'd just be left with a random pond. That certainly won't do much for your property value.

To avoid this scenario, just a couple of maintenance tasks can go a long way. Cleaning your koi pond regularly, testing the pond water to make sure it's the right environment for koi, and keeping your filtration system in tip-top shape are the go-to ways to make sure your water feature retains its visual appeal and stays healthy and safe for the fish. And with the right setup, a koi pond doesn't even have to be high-maintenance. If you want a more hands-off approach that still brings value, an ecosystem koi pond that requires less maintenance is also a viable option to look into.