How Your Garden Might Be Turning Off Potential Buyers, According to Real Estate Agents

We all know that the outside of our house matters big time when we’re selling a home—the data backs that up, with 98% of realtors believing curb appeal is important to a potential buyer. But does having certain outdoor features like a garden really bring up your home’s value? Or worse, can it drag it down? Here, real estate experts share the top seven mistakes you could be making outdoors that will hurt your property value. 

Overly Intensive Maintenance Requirements

It might look pretty in photos, but if that beautiful and elaborate garden scares buyers away, it may not be worth it. “Buyers will be turned off if they think it will take an arm and a leg for upkeep,” says Aaron Hendon​​​, a best-selling real estate author and managing broker of Christine & Company at eXp Realty

If you really enjoy gardening and creating an outdoor oasis, all is not lost. “Make it easy for the buyer to maintain what you’ve created,” says Hendon. That may mean throwing something in with the sale. “If the lawn requires a riding mower, include yours in the sale,” he says. “If you can install a drip irrigation system for the garden, do so.” 

Basically, look for anything you can do to make it easy for the new owner to keep the home looking the way it does now.

Over-Personalizing the Landscape

Hard truths from Hendon here: “For better or for worse, buyers have very little imagination,” he says. “And nobody wants to buy your house—they want to buy their house.” That means they need to easily be able to see themselves there. 

“While unique features may reflect your personal taste, they might not appeal to the broad market of potential buyers,” Hendon says. “Got a thing for weird succulents? Love carnivorous plants? Proud of your topiary? That’s nice, but you are now limiting the appeal of your home to others that love that too.”

It’s not just about the plants, either. “You might love your water fountain and koi pond, but to many prospective buyers, they’re a money pit that is going to cost them dearly in water, chemicals, electricity, and fish food," says Sofia Vyshnevska, housing market expert and co-founder at NewHomesMate. "Koi ponds could end up costing you $5,000 off the purchase price as buyers request for it to be filled and landscaped.”

Ignoring Seasonal Appeal

Yes, annuals may bring the pizazz, but according to Vyshnevska, plants that tend to die off for large parts of the year aren’t your friend if you’re selling in the off-season. 

“If you happen to be selling in winter, your garden isn’t likely to catch a buyer’s eye if every tree is bare and plant lifeless,” she says. “You need a mixture of robust shrubs and trees, combined with perennials that respond well to deadheading to provide color all year round.”

Hendon seconds that. “A garden that looks appealing in all seasons can significantly enhance curb appeal,” he says. Think flowers in spring, and veggies in summer into fall. 

Poor Plant Choices

“Plants can make a home more inviting, but the wrong kind—particularly those that grow rapidly and cause structural damage—will send prospective buyers running for the door,” Vyshnevska says.

Look for plants that thrive in the local environment, Hendon suggests. “They will look healthier and require less maintenance,” he says. And in a buyer’s mind, maintenance equals upkeep and costs. “In today’s world of climate change, drought resistant, low maintenance plants are more and more popular,” he adds.

Plants to avoid, according to Vyshnevska, include Japanese knotweed, “They're costly to eradicate, with excavation and disposal setting homeowners back by $5,000," she says. She also puts English ivy, bamboo, and tree of heaven on the no-go list due to the damage they can cause, along with mint and wisteria which spread quickly. Additionally, Kudzu, Chinese tallow tree, and purple loosestrife can smother other plants—and, she says, the property’s value.

Neglecting Lawn Care

This might seem like it should go without saying, but when you see something every day it’s easy to stop noticing things that could be a red flag for buyers. “A well-kept lawn is one of the first things buyers notice,” Hendon says. "A neglected lawn can give the impression of overall neglect.” 

That first impression is so important! “Buyers decide, emotionally, whether the house is for them within the first few moments and then spend the [rest of the] time validating their emotional response," he explains.

And if you’re tempted to lay artificial grass, just don’t, Vyshnevska warns. It may have its perks with its ease of care, but “it can degrade over time and become an eyesore—and a pricey one to remove,” she says.  

Ignoring the Front Yard

Continuing with the importance of lawn care, it’s not all about your blooming backyard garden. “The front yard is crucial for curb appeal,” Hendon says. “Drive by your own home and see if it wows you. If it doesn’t, add color, take away clutter—basically, whatever you need to do.”

“Enhancing the front yard with well-maintained grass, trimmed shrubs, and colorful flowers can significantly boost curb appeal and attract more potential buyers,” he adds.  

Neglecting Your Boundaries

If the fence at your house is more about keeping the dogs in than adding to your curb appeal, you could be hurting your home value. “If your fences seem old and uncared for, prospective buyers will be particularly thorough in looking for other signs of neglect around the property," Vyshnevska says. "Then there’s the case of security and privacy, which are often non-negotiables on a homebuyer’s checklist.”