Add Value and Appeal With Your Patio

w deckMany people enjoy a relaxing outdoor area for eating or reading.  It just feels good to sit outside and sip some iced tea or lemonade on a deck or patio. That’s the picture your real estate agent would want to capture when listing your home for sale.  Buyers often consider a well-built and maintained patio a plus and may create a higher selling price for your home.  It’s time to  highlight it as the special feature it is.

Make sure you have some comfortable patio furniture.  Prospective buyers may just take some time to sit and relax as they consider the possibility of your home.  That’s a good thing!  If they enjoy themselves while sitting on your patio, you’re likely to have piqued their interest in your property.  Don’t have any patio furniture or is yours uncomfortable or unattractive, don’t fret.  You don’t need to necessarily make a big purchase like that before your move.  However it may be worth considering renting or borrowing some if possible.

So, what if you have a backyard but no patio; is it worth investing in one? The answer depends on your financial situation but there’s no doubt that having a patio or a deck – a space outdoors to relax – is a plus.  If you have a small backyard, you don’t necessarily want to take up the entire space with a concrete patio. The reason? Greenery is also appealing. Basically, you want to have the patio proportionally sized to your yard. So you don’t want to have a huge yard and tiny patio nor the opposite.

Your patio should be located close to an entryway to the home, typically the kitchen. This is so that if there is grilling or eating outside, people can easily access the kitchen as opposed to walking through some other room in the house first.  Patios also should be located in areas where there is some level of privacy. A patio is most appealing when you can sit back, relax and enjoy a good meal, book, or conversation without feeling like you’re being watched. So the backyard is usually the best location.

To cover or not? Often when homeowners put in patios, they question if adding a covering would help increase the value of their home. That really depends on many things such as if the covering is well built and maintained and if it’s aesthetically pleasing, not blocking views, etc. In the case where it’s crafted and maintained well, the patio and its covering can increase the appeal of your home. That could translate to a higher selling price as well as a faster sale.

Patios are appealing because they can create a sense of peace, open space, freedom, and they can seem to extend the square footage of livable space on those good weather days. It’s important to make sure it shows as the asset is can be to get the most money for your home.  For more tips and tricks or a personal review of your patio, call Helen today at 847.967.0022 or email [email protected].