Denver Decorative Concrete & Custom MasonryWould taking the grass out of my backyard decrease my home's value?
We are stuck in our house on account of the economy so I want to make improvements to our home that won’t only potentially increase it’s value/appeal, but also make living in it more fun for us. We’re on a tiny lot with a backyard that is approx. ten ft. by fourteen ft. Here is what I would like to do: Rip out most of the (brown) grass and put in a nice patio made out of either stamped concrete or decorative bricks. That way we can have a fire pit, porch swing, etc. We’ll have 2 large flower beds and then leave a small strip of grass, approx. three ft. by 10ft., off to the side.
I comprehend, however… Since we do not know the area you live in, what I would suggest you do is contact several Realtors in the area and simply ask them. Why, well if you live in Las Vegas, that is probably a perfectly normal thing to do. But not in MN . Other considerations, is your neighborhood a family neighborhood? or Maybe a singles area? Buyers are pretty fussy, and tearing up concrete isn’t cheap. So I would opt for asking those professional in your area. A simple phone call should do it.
pause-able-it would depend on what a brand new buyer would want.
I agree that the area and the neighborhood will impact, but adding a patio is definitely an improvement.
Speak with your real estate agent. If your home is a small starter home, it may not affect value too much. But, if your house is larger, has more than two bedrooms, or is in a family neighborhood, you won’t necessarily be decreasing value, but you will be significantly decreasing your chances of selling. Both families and dog owners want some sort of yard in the back. Removing that will decrease your buying pool.
Large Flower Beds can also be a problem. If they’re a high maintenance thing, you again limit the pool of people interested in the house.
The best thing you can do is speak with your real estate agent. They will be able to tell you if your improvements will affect the value of your home.
I showed a home that had thousands and thousands of dollars worth of concrete work, it was really lovely. My buyers loved the house, EXCEPT for all the concrete, and we decided the cost to rip it all out and put grass/landscaping back in was cost prohibitive.
Unless you happen upon a buyer that likes what you have done and it works for their lifestyle, it is probably not going to add any value to your home.
Where you live is going to have a huge impact on whether that is a good idea or not. Where I live in CA , having a yard like that be largely hardscape is pretty common, so you wouldn’t be decreasing the value. In a spot like MO , it would be odd, and thus potentially decrease the salability of the house. However, in that sort of case having a yard that small would already be a serious limit on the house.
I will admit that I ripped out my front yard and replaced it with a low-water butterfly garden, which is coming along well, but that is not quite the same thing since I kept the grassy backyard for kids and dogs.