TO TURF OR NOT TO TURF

Can laying turf increase your property’s value by $75,000?

I think not… Recent claims from Turf Australia suggest that home buyers are paying up to $75,000 more for a property with a lawn.

Statistics provided to Property Observer by Turf Australia:

Victoria:$79,800 on a $420,000 home

New South Wales:$83,600 on a $440,000 home

Queensland:$48,600 on a $405,000 home

South Australia:$43,200 on a $360,000 home

Western Australia:$40,050 on a $445,000 home

National:$75,668 on a $420,375 home

They also found that house hunters want a lawn primarily as a safe playing area (73%), the look and feel of the property (34%), relaxation (32%) and increasing the re-sale value of the property (25%). The report noted that 95% of buyers want real grass in their backyard.

As suggested in the statistics above an over whelming number property buyers are looking for a lawn that provides a safe and secure playing area for their family and it is obvious that a manicured yard will add to the aesthetics of a property, however, this ‘desire’ that a buyer my experience when searching for their home does not necessarily conclude that a property with a turfed lawn will have a significantly greater.

The added value comes into the way the property is marketed. Real estate agents who understand marketplace dynamics and effective property marketing strategies will formulate their strategy around the key selling features of the property eg. A beautiful lush lawn.

If we compare two identical properties, right next door to each other – one with a lush lawn and one with out – the ‘logical’ value of the two properties remains vastly similar.

So can the turfed property be worth $75,000 than the un-turfed? I think not! To suggest that a simple and relatively cheap exercise such as laying lawn can add this sort of value and return on investment is outrageous.

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