First impressions play a crucial role in all aspects of life, and the same applies to real estate. For most prospective homebuyers or even guests, what catches their eyes first is your home’s curb appeal. From that initial impression, potential buyers can decide whether to buy a property.

For this reason, curb appeal home improvement is crucial in improving your property’s outlook. However, if you intend to sell the property later on, you must also consider the ROI of the improvements you make. It is always advisable to opt for projects with a high ROI. Here are some examples of curb appeal home improvements with high ROI.

1. Install Landscape Lighting

Nothing beats exquisite landscape lighting when it comes to enhancing your backyard. Backyard lighting provides safety and security while adding a gorgeous ambiance to your outdoor space. There are various types of lighting to consider depending on your desired outcome.

Path lights are most desirable when lighting an open backyard with defined walkways. With these lights, you can achieve beautifully illuminated walkways that create a welcoming sight in your backyard. In contrast, spotlights highlight specific features within your backyard. Installing spotlights next to a feature like a beautiful tree, water fountain, or sculpture could significantly improve your home’s curb appeal

Floodlights are another lighting type ideal for ample lighting and increased aesthetic appeal in a large and open backyard. Typically, floodlights allow landscape lighting companies a mounting height of 20 feet and beyond. They are ideal for illuminating patios, lawns, and decks.

If you desire to improve your yard by contrasting lights and shadows, decorative bollards are the best bet. These sophisticated lights have decorative and intricately cut panels that project different light and shadow patterns. Besides these, you can also consider other lighting types, such as downlights, in-ground well lights, and mini fixtures.

Installing landscape lighting is an ideal curb appeal home improvement with a high ROI. According to Forbes Advisor, upgrading or installing lighting fixtures around your property can guarantee up to a 50% ROI. So go ahead and get your fixtures installed today.

2. Build Walkways In Your Backyard

Beautifully designed paths and walkways will add much-needed functionality and structure to your property’s outdoor space. Such paths and walkways ease the task of navigating through large backyards. Additionally, they add character and visual interest.

You can choose from various materials depending on your desired outcome. You can build your walkways from natural stone, concrete, brick pavers, mulch, or gravel. Each of these materials has its benefits and unique features. For instance, natural stone is typically more expensive than other options. However, it provides a more natural and rustic look compared to something like concrete.

Besides material, design options are also numerous. A pattern-designed walkway using straight, zigzag, or curved lines can be a visually interesting curb appeal home improvement. However, it is best to go with the design that best suits your backyard and home’s outlook.

When selecting your preferred design, consider functionality and style. The ideal design should blend well into your backyard, complementing and highlighting other landscaping features where necessary. You must acquire a professional backyard landscaping service to ensure proper installation procedures. This act will help you prevent future damage or accidents.

3. Consider Introducing Plants

Like a canvas without colors, a backyard without plants can appear stale and downright boring. Therefore, you must introduce plants to bring more color and make your backyard more attractive. This action will bring nature close to home, enabling you to create a peaceful and tranquil outdoor space.

However, the key to achieving all this is by introducing the right plants. Therefore, to get started, you must first decide what kind of plants you want to introduce. The four main options include shrub, herb, vegetable, and flower garden. But remember, there are important considerations for each type. For instance, introducing a flower garden requires determining whether they are annuals or perennials.

Regardless of your choice, arborists recommend finding the best gardening spot for your plants. For this, you must consider that most flowering plants and vegetables require daily sunlight for 6–8 hours. With this fact in mind, you can now choose a spot and clear it, ensuring you eradicate all the sod and weeds.

Before planting, you should improve the soil, ensuring it has the appropriate moisture, texture, and nutrient content. These will play a vital role in ensuring your newly introduced plants flourish. Once done, you can begin your planting.

4. Install Sprinklers

Of all curb appeal home improvement projects, nothing beats a well-maintained lawn or garden. And there is no better way to achieve this than by installing a garden sprinkler system. Sprinklers are the most effective and efficient means of watering your lawn or garden.

A sprinkler system makes gardening easier and more effective as it allows things like automated watering. With this feature, you don’t need to remind yourself to water your lawn and plants. With features like precise targeting, a gardening sprinkler system allows for controlled irrigation. It prevents water from damaging your landscaping by pooling in some areas.

Maintaining your laws using a sprinkler system can also help prevent soil erosion, keeping your yard neat. While you could install a sprinkler system yourself, it is not recommended. Installation sometimes requires specialized equipment and knowledge. Therefore, getting a professional who can calculate the ideal meter size, water pressure, flow rate, and service lane size is best.

5. Tree Trimming And Removal

Nothing reduces the curb appeal of a property than overgrown trees and shrubs. With overgrown trees, you must deal with fallen leaves that litter the property. You will also have to face the risk of falling broken branches that can damage your property and place people’s safety at risk.

Therefore, seeking a tree trimming service is advisable to improve your property’s curb appeal. This service typically involves the removal of hazardous, dead, diseased, or damaged branches. Through this measure, you prevent damage from spreading to other parts of the tree.

Besides trimming, removal is another curb appeal home improvement project that could serve your property. This project involves removing a dead or damaged tree entirely. After tree removal, do not leave the ground as it is. Instead, plant a new sapling in its place to restore a green environment. Visit your local tree nursery to get a tree sapling of your choice.

6. Build or Improve Your Outdoor Drainage

Stagnated water is a sore sight for any property. It can often come off as a sign of neglect, which greatly impacts the decision of potential buyers or even guests. Not only that, it is also a health risk as it acts as a breeding ground for malaria-causing mosquitoes.

For this reason, investing in your outdoor drainage is crucial to maintaining your property. There are various ways to ensure proper yard drainage. The easiest way is by sloping your yard away from your property and into the street drainage. This measure ensures that water never stagnates and runs away from your property.

Alternatively, you can replace your hardscaping with outdoor drainage materials. While hardscape materials like asphalt concrete are ideal for driveways and patios, they may sometimes hamper your drainage. As a result, water may slip into your foundation, causing untold damage.

You could replace them with permeable material like crushed gravel as a remedy. This material will ensure even drainage and eradicate stagnation. If you already have stagnation and mosquito problems, contact a mosquito control company before beginning your project.

7. Build a Pool

A beautiful pool in the backyard is one of the most sought-after curb appeal home improvement projects. It is a great addition that immensely adds to your property’s aesthetic appeal. It also improves functionality and is the ideal place for entertaining friends and family or relaxing.

Building a pool also increases your home’s value, granting you a high ROI. However, you must consider these factors before installing a pool in your backyard. Firstly, what type of pool do you desire?

You can choose between an in-ground or above-ground pool. Your backyard size will impact the type of pools you go for. The New York Times recommends installing a plunge pool if you have a small backyard. Plunge pools are generally shallower and smaller than traditional ones. This feature makes them ideal for relaxation on a sunny day or quiet evening.

Ultimately, the type of pool you choose will factor in design, utilities, cost, and equipment. While the size of your pool is entirely up to you, it shouldn’t be exceedingly big for the backyard. At the very least, it should leave space for other landscaping features.

8. Create a Patio

A fully furnished patio is the ideal feature to elevate your home’s curb appeal. With various design styles, a patio can significantly improve your backyard appeal. A landscape designer can help you customize a patio that suits your style sensibilities.

A well-designed patio can significantly increase your property’s value a. Most potential buyers often look for properties with a well-designed and maintained patio. Additionally, most are ready to pay a pretty penny for such a home. It is a testament to its high ROI, which is unmatched by most curb appeal home improvement projects.

Besides the financial incentive, a patio also increases your home’s functionality. It provides additional space for social gatherings, outdoor dining, and relaxation. It is the ideal spot to sit and enjoy comfort, quiet, and tranquility in your backyard.

Patios don’t have to be monolithic, as there are numerous materials you can use. These include pavers, concrete, bricks, gravel, natural stone, and wood. Each of these materials has benefits and unique features that make it ideal for patio construction. For example, concrete is low maintenance and durable but doesn’t offer the same aesthetic appeal as wood or natural stone. Therefore, when building your patio, you must consider the space’s aesthetics and functionality.

9. Install a Fire Pit

A well-designed fire pit is perhaps the feature that has been missing from your property’s outlook. Such a project can be a beautiful focal point in your yard. Additionally, it can act as an outdoor cooking space ideal for a social gathering. The space can offer a cozy chilling spot during chilly evenings beside the fire.

While a fire pit may not have a high ROI, its presence in a property can increase its value. Moreover, its essence as a curb appeal home improvement project can be attractive. Therefore, attention to style and design is crucial when building a firepit.

Some outdoor fire pit styles include freestanding, pit grills, built-in permanent stone or brick pits, tabletop fire pits, and more. Each style has different functionalities, unique features, considerations, and benefits.

Once you settle on a style, the next consideration is the fuel type. Here, there are three types: natural gas, gel fuel, and wood-burning fire pits. Wood-burning pits remain the most popular choice for many homeowners. Most prefer them because of the traditional flames, high heat, and authentic crackling sounds.

Safety measures and procedures are crucial when building a fire pit. There are five essential precautions for fire pits, as noted by Better Homes and Gardens. Most importantly, there must be ample space, enough for people to move around freely without being in contact with the flames. Surrounding the fire pit should be non-flammable material like concrete pavers or gravel to prevent fires.

Ultimately, there are endless options for outdoor curb appeal home improvement projects. Each of these projects will have a unique appeal to the property. Some may improve the desirability for potential buyers, while others may enhance function and aesthetic appeal. Therefore, when improving your landscape, you should consider how each feature complements the other to create a beautiful and cohesive look.

It is essential to consider the size of your backyard, design sensibilities, budget, and ROI when deciding which project will work best for you. You can talk to a landscaping professional to determine which project will suit your needs. By incorporating these projects, you can significantly improve your home’s curb appeal and overall value.