Local community and real estate information for Cheshire CT by your Cheshire Real Estate Experts, Sally Bowman Real Estate

Increase your Cheshire Home's Value with Your Backyard

Monday, May 16, 2011

by Sally Bowman Real Estate

Chances are that if you’re planning to put your Cheshire home on the market, you’ve been searching for ways to increase its value. Kitchen and bathroom remodeling are popular renovations you may choose to make when trying to make your Cheshire home more marketable to buyers, but try thinking outside of the box. Your backyard is a goldmine for attracting buyers to your Cheshire home. With some planning and supplies, you can turn your backyard into an outdoor sanctuary for relaxing and entertaining. You might even want to stay in Cheshire to enjoy it once you’re done!

One thing you can do to add value to your Cheshire backyard is to build a deck. The most important thing to remember, whether you’re building a deck yourself or if you’re hiring someone to do the work, is that the deck needs to be safe. You’ll have to choose whether you want an attached or detached deck, and the material will also be a choice you’ll have to make. Cedar holds up through all types of weather, but can splinter easily.

A more pricey option is to build a Trex deck which is a composite made from recycled materials. It’s a popular choice because it doesn’t shrink, splinter or fade. Make sure you build your deck large enough to allow for a grill and an outdoor dining set. Purchasing an inexpensive outdoor set and staging it on your new deck to show Cheshire homebuyers the deck’s potential is a good idea.

You may opt to have a patio instead of a deck as the outdoor living area at your Cheshire home. As far as materials, concrete is the most common and versatile option for patios because it can be shaped and stamped into virtually any pattern or color. While more expensive, paver stones are a great option as well because they are easy to move and replace should the future owners of your home need to get underneath the patio at any point in time.

An attractive option to dress up the patio at your Cheshire home is to have an awning or canopy you can pull over to be protected from the elements. Adding lighting to your Cheshire home’s patio or surrounding landscaping provides ambience and safety and is very attractive to homebuyers. If room allows, you may want to build a fire pit into your patio. Create a bench around the fire pit with the patio’s building material or stage inviting chairs in a circle to demonstrate an intimate place for entertaining.

If you already have an outdoor entertaining area but still want to impress Cheshire homebuyers visiting your home, try adding well-placed, colorful pots of flowers. With so many beautiful flowers and interesting plants blooming this season, you can easily turn your backyard into a lush oasis. This is a simple and inexpensive option to give your Cheshire home that extra edge.

As a real estate expert in the Cheshire area, I’d be happy to help you sell your Cheshire home or find the home of your dreams. If you have any questions or are ready to get started, please don’t hesitate to contact me at any time.