A national survey conducted by real estate agents Raine & Horne has discovered that a neat, tidy and lush green lawn attracts buyers to a house. The agents revealed that the phenomena occurred so often, that 93 percent of Raine & Horne real estate agents actually recommend their clients improve their lawns before selling their house.
Of the real estate agents surveyed, 40 percent of agents believe a nicely presented lawn can boost your home’s value by 20 percent, while 23.3 percent of agents surveyed believed it could bolster your home’s value by 30 percent. Given that the median price of an Australian dwelling is currently sitting at $550,610 – according to CoreLogic – 20 percent works out to be roughly $110,000.
“The market has cooled over the past 15 months and people are nervous about getting a good price for their home. In these uncertain times, anything homeowners can do to get peace of mind by adding value to their home is a win, and first impressions count,” said Peter Diamantidis from Raine & Horne St Marys.
“It’s important to look for improvements you can make to your home that are cost effective and deliver a good return. Adding lawn is a no-brainer, it’s a quick and easy renovation that adds value and most importantly attracts more buyers.”
The survey also revealed a lawn was the most popular surface for family buyers (first choice for 63 percent), over decking (21 percent), synthetic turf (7 percent), paving (5 percent) and concrete (3 percent).
According to real estate agents, the main attraction of a lawn for buyers was the improved look and feel of the property (89 per cent), added lifestyle and relaxation appeal (45 per cent) and a safe playing area for the kids (42 per cent).