How a deck adds value to your home

If your backyard has simply a patio, or there’s nothing there at all but grass, you might want to consider adding a deck. It will give your family an additional place to spend time together and it can add value to your home for several reasons.

Increased square footage
When you add a deck to your home you are actually increasing its overall area. This can make it worth more money when you get it appraised since your home will be technically bigger than before. However, more square footage does have a downside. It can lead to an increase in property tax.

More living space
Another way a deck increases your home’s value is by adding another living room of sorts. It makes the house more conducive to large gatherings of people and can help to close the deal with potential buyers who love grilling or the outdoors. You can further enhance your deck with lighting, a sound system or a built-in hot tub. Even with these extras, it can be substantially cheaper than adding a new indoor room since you don’t have to worry about running phone lines, air conditioning, heat and other utilities through the walls or installing a foundation or roof.

Curb appeal
An attractive deck, with stained wood, flower boxes, a gazebo, or other visual enhancements adds an intangible value to potential buyers. Your home can seem more appealing than similar ones who don’t have this “perk.” Placing photos of your deck on an Internet listing service can entice more people to come look at your home and it can also bring more traffic from people who just happen to be in the neighborhood. Either way, it gives them a positive impression of your house before they even set foot through the front door.

High ROI
Decks offer a high return on investment. This means that you will recoup most of the money you spend on a deck in the added resale value. Not only will this help you when you’re trying to sell, but it will help your buyers if they’re looking to either flip the house, as in fix it up and resell it in the short term, or use it to finance a bigger home in the future, since it will increase the value of their investment too. If you’re planning on adding a deck after you list your home, be sure to mention that to your real estate agent.