WASHINGTON – According to a survey by Trees.com, 78 percent of real estate agents say poor landscaping negative affects property values.
Around 24 percent of professionals say poor landscaping can reduce a home’s value by 10 percent, while 22 percent say the value decreases by 20 percent. Another 18 percent predict a home’s value drops by 30 percent or more.
Over three-fourths of respondents say poor hardscaping—non-living aspects of an outdoor design, such as structural or decorative elements—negatively impacts home values.
The landscaping elements that add the most value to a home include grass (64 percent), trees (59 percent), and flowers (52 percent).
According to the survey, 91 percent of agents say adding just one healthy tree can increase property value.
For hardscaping, real estate agents recommend adding or improving decks (58 percent), driveways (54 percent), and an outdoor kitchen (47 percent) to add the most value.
To compile the data, Trees.com surveyed 1,250 currently licensed real estate agents across the country.
The Texas Real Estate Research Center has more housing news online for free: