Why Improving Your Land Makes a Difference

There's a bit of a misconception that the "best" way to increase your home's value is to, well, make changes to the home itself. Of course it's true that renovating or even expanding your home will add value, but it's not the only way to do it.

In fact, improving your land can have make just as big a difference as a new kitchen or bathroom would. But, you do need to choose the right enhancements for your specific property.

Consider the fact that, according to research from Strutt & Parker, 76% of buyers think first impressions are everything when viewing a property. Those first impressions don't start when potential buyers step inside - they begin forming the moment a buyer sees your place for the first time.

So, it's actually your land that's going to be one of the first things that gets noticed. And we're not just talking about having some nice landscaping around your house - although that does help. You want to think about the overall impression someone is going to feel. Can they imagine what it would be like to live there and develop their own vision or dream?

We're talking about things like:

A beautiful home surrounded by land that needs some work could cause a buyer to form the wrong opinion right off the bat!

According to Canadian Real Estate Magazine, landscape improvements can yield returns as high as 150%. Now, of course, this will vary depending on your property and the specific changes, but here's our point:

Don't discount the power of improving your land when it comes to juicing-up your property values.

Now that we've laid that foundation, let's get into the six key ways you can both enhance the enjoyment of your land and add to its value.

6 Key Land Improvements to Boost Your Property Value

1: Land Clearing

Here in Central New York, our humid climate and warm summers make for some excellent growing conditions. Lush landscaping and gardens that burst with flowers and produce are hallmarks of many properties, but it comes with a downside.
Unwanted vegetation like weeds, brush, and invasive grasses, also grow with a gusto from spring to fall. Unfortunately, it doesn't take long for this to make even the nicest property look shabby, overgrown, and unkempt.
That's why land clearing is a great place to start when improving your outdoor space. By removing this unsightly greenery, you can refresh the curb appeal of your property and help buyers better imagine what they could do with it.
It's not just about visuals, either. Removing overgrown plants or brush can decrease fire risks, control bug problems, reduce competition for resources, and support the health of your yard. That's not only good for your resale value, it's better for the environment.

2: Improve Drainage

We don't have to be the ones to tell you that Central New York can get a lot of water. Whether from rain or snow, flooded properties and standing water is a common problem throughout the region.
The obvious consequences of this are damage to structures, foundation problems, and soil erosion on your land. In severe cases it could even lead to soil sloughing, which is essentially like a small landslide.
However, there's a few other issues poor drainage can cause which aren't as well-known:

Thankfully, you can avoid these problems by having the drainage improved on your property. There's several ways to accomplish this, but some of the common solutions we help people with include:

Which solution is best for you depends on your property, location, and local environment. A great approach is to get in touch with a professional and ask their advice, they have the experience to guide you in the right direction.

3: Upgrade/Update Your Driveway

Besides your home or landscaping, one of the big things people tend to notice when viewing a property is what the driveway looks like. When you pass by a home with a freshly-paved or gravelled driveway, it's hard not to be impressed.
If you don't have a paved driveway, there isn't necessarily a need to go all-out and spend big bucks to have it asphalted or concreted. You can still see big improvements with a gravel driveway, the key is having it done right and using the appropriate materials.
For example, widening your existing driveway to allow for more parking space can make your home more attractive. This is especially true for larger homes where potential buyers may have multiple cars, trailers, or other equipment to park.
On the other hand, if you have a paved driveway that's in rough shape but don't want to spend big on fixing it - you could have it removed and replaced with gravel. This would freshen-up the exterior of your home without the cost of a complete re-paving.
The key is to make your driveway, whether gravelled or paved, look well-maintained and in good health.

4: Demolish Unsafe or Unused Structures

Few things can hurt property values quicker than having run-down structures hanging around. Old barns, garages, sheds, and other buildings, can affect how people perceive your property in a negative way.
In some cases, these structures can even pose a safety hazard if they're at-risk of collapsing (or have already collapsed). The best option in cases like this is to have those unsightly buildings demolished and removed by a professional.
While tackling something like a small shed can be done DIY-style, for larger structures it's a good idea to let a demolition contractor handle it. This ensures it's done safely and in accordance with your local laws. Plus, you won't have to worry about disposing of the materials.
You'd be amazed the kind of difference demolition can make. Not only does it tidy-up the appearance of your land, it also creates room for new buildings or landscaping features.

5: Remove Scrap or Junk

This one might apply more if you're looking to increase the value of raw land with existing materials on it, rather than your home, but it's still a great solution so we wanted to include it.
Piles of construction waste, old equipment, broken-down cars, and the like, could make a potential buyer wary of your property. Instead of them imagining how they could use the land (which is what you want), they'll be thinking about the hassle of removing those items.
If you proactively remove scrap, junk, or garbage, you'll make your land much more attractive to buyers. There's a couple ways you can go about this - either tackle it yourself or hire a professional.
The benefits of doing it yourself are, mainly, that it costs less than hiring someone. Although, if there's a large amount of material to be removed, you may have to rent equipment which can make a dent in your wallet. You'll also have to put in the time and labor, while also figuring out how to dispose of the junk.
Alternatively, you can hire someone to clean it up and haul it away for you. While this will cost money, you won't have to worry about anything. Your contractor will handle the removal and disposal for you, which can save you significant effort and hassle.

6: Create More Usable Land

You may have heard the old adage, "Buy land, they're not making it anymore". But, that's not quite true! Sometimes, you can actually "make" more land simply by improving the space which already exists.
Let's say you have a property with an area that's uneven, hilly, water-logged, or generally unsuitable for use. This is, in essence, wasted land as you can't really do anything with it. There's no opportunity to build structures or add landscaping, which could hurt your property values.
Once again, the good news is you can overcome this with tactics like:

All these options can create space to further develop your property with gardens, patios, outbuildings, or recreational areas. It also makes it more attractive to buyers, as they won't feel like they're paying for land that isn't 100% usable.

Bonus Tip: Balance Enjoyment With Adding Value

Okay, so we've just spent a lot of time talking about the big ways you can add value to your land. However, there's something important to keep in mind when your deciding what to do with your property...

...your own enjoyment!

Unless you're planning to sell in the near future, you don't want to put yourself in a spot where you're only making improvements that other people would enjoy. Make sure to think about the ways you'd like to use and live on your property, and the things you can do to bring those dreams to life.

It's easy to get caught in a trap of making decisions based on what other people might feel. And while that's not a bad thing when it comes to increasing land value, you might not want that to be the only thing you consider.

Certain improvement can always be a good idea, such as improving drainage to prevent damage or installing erosion-control measures. But, your overall vision for the property should also play a key role in the decisions you make.

After all, it's your land at the end of the day!

Conclusion

Adding value to your Central New York property doesn't have to be an expensive or time-consuming prospect. Even simple steps like adding fresh gravel to your driveway or clearing away unwanted brush can make a big positive impact.
Of course, sometimes there's a need for more intensive work such as improving drainage or demolishing structures. Thankfully, you don't have to tackle those heavy projects on your own!
If you're looking to improve your land value, there's two great places to start:
1: With a trusted Realtor2: With a trusted contractor
A local Realtor can help you identify value-boosting changes you can make to your property in the short, and far, term. However, once you've decided on what you'd like to achieve - you might want someone to help you do it.
Connecting with an experienced and trustworthy contractor to help you develop your land can save you time, effort, and headaches. As we mentioned in this article, there's absolutely DIY tasks you can tackle to get more out of your property. And it can be a satisfying and rewarding experience to do them!
That said, maybe you don't have the time, equipment, or even desire, to do some of these things yourself.
Our team at CDP Excavating has 20 years of experience helping home and land owners develop their property to the fullest here in Central New York. From laying drainage to clearing brush, demolishing buildings to installing foundations, we're here to make your land the best it can be.
If you have a project in mind, scroll down to get in touch with us and let's see how we can help you bring it to life.

Author Information