How Does Your Backyard Affect the Value of Your Home?

Have you ever thought about how the sunlight may affect the value of your home? Many people have heard that having a backyard that faces the south is a positive attribute when selling a home. While this may be true, whether or not a south-facing backyard is a benefit will largely depend upon the person looking at buying your home. In the end, however, it is unlikely that having a south-facing yard will add any value to your home.

The Benefits of Having a South-Facing Backyard

There are many potential benefits to having a south-facing backyard and, depending upon the person looking at buying your home, these benefits can really help with closing a sale. For example, having a south-facing backyard means that the home will receive plenty of sunlight. If the person is an avid gardener, having this extra sunlight is definitely a benefit. After all, most perennial flowers and vegetable plants need plenty of sunlight in order to thrive.

Having a south-facing backyard is also beneficial to those that suffer from seasonal depression. Although it won’t serve as a “cure all” for depression, the extra sun can go a long way toward helping a person with seasonal depression feel better in the winter months. In addition, the extra sunlight can help prevent moss from forming on the roof of the home. Not only is moss on the roof unattractive, it can be quite damaging as well. Therefore, this can definitely be a selling feature for the home.

The Down Side to Having a South-Facing Backyard

Although there are many benefits associated with having a south-facing backyard, there are downsides to this feature as well. Namely, if the home doesn’t have air conditioning, having a south-facing backyard means the house will likely get quite hot during the summer. If it does have an air conditioner, the cost of running the conditioner may be higher because of the extra heat.

Whether or not a south-facing backyard is an attribute really depends upon the person buying the house. In addition, there are likely to be other factors that will draw the attention of potential buyers more than the location of the backyard. For example, if there is a great view to the south, many homebuyers may prefer a home that faces in that direction instead. Similarly, if a potential buyer enjoys gardening, it may still be possible to successfully maintain a garden even if the backyard faces the north. For these reasons, an appraiser isn’t likely to value your home any higher than he or she would value a home on the other side of the street. On the other hand, if you happen to have a home that is on a corner, your home is likely to get appraised at a higher value because it offers more versatility.


About the Author: Shannon Kietzman is a well known author and trusted resource. Shannon regularly writes for http://www.electronicappraiser.com/, which is a leading provider of on-line home appraisals and offers a nationwide personalized instant informational report about home appraisal. For more information, please visit .
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