Add Value to your Pittsburgh Area Home with These 3 Landscape Features
Making additions to your Pennsylvania outdoor areas is a great way to increase the value of your property and increase your chances of a quick sell. These three landscaping features are in vogue with buyers in the Pittsburgh Area at the moment, and even if you aren’t selling immediately, will add both monetary and enjoyment value to your home.
Inground Swimming Pool
A swimming pool is a great idea, not just to add value to your home, but also for the hours of pleasure it’ll bring you and your family during the hot summer months. Estimates of how much value a swimming pool can add to your property range from between 5-7%. Not only is a pool attractive to potential buyers, but in high-end areas, not having a pool may actually make your property a harder sell. A heated pool, particularly one installed with energy saving solar powered heaters, is an attractive feature for buyers and will also extend the swimming season well after the (now after Labor day) and before Memorial Day! Pittsburgh’s humid summers make swimming pools highly sought after in the buyer’s market and the attractiveness, permanence, and durability make an in-ground pool a great option for increasing your home’s value.
Outdoor Kitchen
The mere sight of an outdoor kitchen conjures up images of happy family get-togethers, Sunday afternoon BBQ’s in the sun and evening soirees with friends, making them highly attractive features for both homeowners and potential buyers. An outdoor kitchen adds value to your home by bringing additional functionality to your outdoor spaces and extending the use of your backyard. With space being such a sought after commodity, the addition of an outdoor kitchen is a sure way to open up your floor plan by increasing the useable living space of your home. You can further increase the value added to your home by an outdoor kitchen by ensuring that it is equipped with running water, electricity, and ample privacy. Some form of screening and heating is also advised to extend its use into winter and fall. According to the National Association of Realtors, only 4% of affluent homes were fitted with outdoor kitchens while the demand from buyers was more than triple that number, making them a highly sought after feature for potential buyers. This means that while adding value to your home, if you are intending to sell, an outdoor kitchen will also increase your chances of a shorter stay on the market.
Outdoor Fireplace
This simple, but stunning feature is absolutely loved by potential buyers and it’s easy to see why. With technology taking such a prominent role in our lives at present, and most jobs requiring people to be cooped up indoors all day, more and more people are making a special effort to spend more time outdoors. It’s safe to say that the outdoor fireplace has replaced the living room hearth as the preferred evening gathering point for family and friends. Not only does an outdoor fireplace create a great evening atmosphere, it’s also the perfect way to keep your patio warm and cozy on cool evenings and provides the perfect excuse to get some fresh air even in the winter. Potential buyers are sure to be charmed by this enchanting outdoor addition.
Happy increasing your home's value! :-).