How your home and landscaping is presented to your street is a key factor in perceived and actual value when it comes to buying and selling a property in Australia.
Selling a property for profit can be a complex and difficult task if the market isn’t skewed in your favour. At such times, it is location and aesthetics that determine the outcome. In fact, a 2016 survey by Finder found that homebuyers would reduce their potential offer on a home by up to 25% if that home has poor street appeal. The potential loss of 25% value is a sobering thought and highlights the importance of maintaining and elevating the street appeal of your home.
30 Marigold Ave. Altona North by Composite Design & Drafting
The devil in the details
It’s the small things that can affect the perceived value of your property. An Australia-wide survey conducted in 2020 by Raine & Horne discovered that a neat, tidy and green lawn will attract buyers to a home, with 40% of Raine & Horne agents surveyed of the opinion that a nice lawn can increase your home’s value by 20%. The University of Western Australia conducted a similar study in 2013 that revealed attractive landscaping in particular can increase your home’s sale price from 5% up to 20%, and that something as simple as a broad-leafed tree on a street verge to the front of a home can increase median property price.
Paton Street, Kingsford by Nathalie Scipioni Architects
Furthermore, research by the Universities of Alabama and Texas found that homes with high kerb appeal in general tend to sell for more than those that don’t, getting an average of 7% more than similar homes with a less inviting exterior. Another interesting finding is one by property experts and authors Ben Kingsley and Bryce Holdaway who, in their book Money Simple Again, suggest that replacing your boring front door with a statement front door in an eye-catching colour or design will increase kerb appeal and perceived property value.
