Your backyard garden might get you nothing back on resale, or it might be the details that seal the deal.
Food prices are expected to rise 2% to 2.5% in 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and more homeowners are reaching out to keep up.
Longevity researchers say instincts are healthy. Gardening is one of the few daily habits common to people living over 100 in every Blue Zone ever studied.
But for real estate agents, there is rarely a clear answer to the question of whether a garden helps or hurts sales. Data shows it depends on the type of garden, how it’s managed and how agents describe it to potential buyers.
What outdoor investing actually brings
The clearest numbers from agents come from the 2023 Renovation Impact Report: Outdoor Features, a collaboration between the National Association of Realtors and the National Association of Landscape Professionals.
Real estate agents estimate that standard lawn care (the least expensive of the 11 outdoor projects surveyed) recouped 217 percent of its cost at resale. Landscape maintenance costs have recovered by 104%. Overall landscape upgrade returned 100%.
92% of real estate agents listed in the report said they recommend improving curb appeal before listing a property, with landscaping and standard lawn care being the top recommended projects by a wide margin.
Buyer demand for outdoor investments is real and growing. In a survey conducted for Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate, 76 percent of affiliated agents said outdoor living extensions (patios, porches, balconies) were the most requested feature among buyers.
In the same study, 38% of buyers listed outdoor space as a top priority, and 71% said outdoor space that expands the living area is one of the features they are most likely to fall in love with in a home.
The gap between what buyers want and what they get in return at the closing table frames the central conversation agents should have with their seller clients. The most rewarding outdoor investments are often not the ones that perform the best at resale.
When a garden is an asset and when it is not
Well-kept raised beds and herb gardens are perfect lifestyle amenities. An overgrown vegetable patch or border of labor-intensive perennials is likely a list of weekend commitments that the buyer isn’t looking for, and can be read as a liability. The NAR/NALP report found that elaborate gardens that require extensive maintenance can give buyers pause, no matter how careful the seller is.
shelton wilder
BHGRE research confirms that low-maintenance modern landscaping, including neatly mulched beds, natural greenery, and drip irrigation, ranks just behind stylish outdoor rooms in what buyers respond to at the curb. Buyers want their home to look great without requiring regular maintenance.
Shelton Wilder, CEO of the Shelton Wilder Group at Christie’s International Real Estate in Southern California, told Inman that “home gardens can absolutely help attract a specific group of buyers, especially in a market like Los Angeles where indoor-outdoor living is a big part of the lifestyle.”
“Buyers love the idea of fresh herbs, citrus trees, or beautiful raised garden flower beds, but I always tell sellers not to spend too much.”
Wilder said the front of a home is the most reliable place to put money before selling.
“First impressions are important and clean landscaping, greenery and a welcoming entrance can make a huge difference to how buyers feel when they first arrive at a property.”
For buyers, existing garden infrastructure such as raised beds, compost systems, and established fruit trees can represent real value. Properties that already have these features in place can potentially save buyers thousands of dollars in set-up costs and are worth considering with customers whose lifestyle matches the space.
Luxury lifestyle demand
At higher price points, the garden buzz goes far beyond curb appeal.
jack richardson
“Outdoor space has evolved from a ‘nice to have’ to a powerful value driver, especially in the luxury market,” said Jack Richardson, Principal of the Richardson Team at SERHANT. “Today’s buyers value the entire lifestyle experience of a property, not just the interior square footage or stone selection.”
Richardson points to the quality of outdoor investments as different from most indoor renovations. “Thoughtful landscaping is one of the few investments in your home that actually increases in value over time,” he said. “Unlike many renovations that depreciate in value the moment they are completed, mature trees, tiered plantings, privacy hedges and well-designed outdoor living spaces tend to increase in value as the property ages, becoming more difficult to recreate and more expensive.”
Mr Richardson said garden space was now reaching buyers who had not previously made it a priority. “The best outdoor spaces create a sense of permanence, privacy and tranquility, but these are becoming increasingly difficult to find.”
blue zone connection
That desire for tranquility may have roots in something older than real estate trends.
Researchers studying the Blue Zones (the five regions in the world with the highest proportion of people living over 100 years old) have identified gardening as a consistent feature of daily life in each region.
The region, identified by journalist Dan Buettner in collaboration with National Geographic and the National Institute on Aging, spans Okinawa, Japan. Sardinia, Italy. Nicoya, Costa Rica. Ikaria, Greece. and Loma Linda, California.
What these communities share is not structured exercise but exercise built into the fabric of daily life, such as walking, manual labor, and gardening. Centenarians in these areas continue to tend to their gardens into their 80s, 90s, and beyond.
According to research cited by the Blue Zones Institute, home gardening is associated with just as much happiness as walking or cycling, and participants consistently rank gardening among the most meaningful activities in their daily lives.
The case for mental health and exercise
This finding is supported by a growing body of peer-reviewed research that extends far beyond blue zone populations.
A University of Florida study published in the journal PLOS ONE found that twice-weekly gardening sessions reduced stress, anxiety, and depression in healthy women who had never gardened before. A 2024 comprehensive review and meta-analysis published in Systematic Reviews, based on decades of population-based research, found that gardening is associated with improvements in a variety of mental health outcomes, including reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety, reduced stress, and improved cognitive function.
A Michigan State University study found that gardening increases confidence, self-esteem, and a sense of purpose, and the benefits are even stronger when you garden with others.
For agents working with clients who are considering aging-in-place options or who are looking for a home that supports an active lifestyle without requiring major moves, the functional role of the garden may be worth bringing up as part of the conversation.
What agents need to know before advising clients
The data show some practical differences.
For sellers, the financial benefits are most obvious in the basics of lawn maintenance, good landscaping, and welcoming admission. Elaborate gardens and high-maintenance plantings are worth simplifying before listing them or structuring them with intention. The goal is to help buyers understand the lifestyle possibilities without estimating labor costs.
For buyers, the question is whether the garden matches how they actually want to live and whether lifestyle benefits are part of the factors they value when deciding on a home. A BHGRE study found that outdoor living extensions ranked No. 1 on buyer-approved layout wish lists, ahead of flex rooms, smart storage, and dual primary suites. This shows that outdoor space is no longer a secondary consideration.
“We are constantly hearing demand for properties with outdoor living areas, gardens, pools and private retreats,” Mr Richardson said. “There is also a growing appreciation for beauty and functionality – landscaping that provides both shade and privacy.”
As food costs rise and buyers increasingly value health conditions along with square footage, garden conversations are becoming a standard part of what agents need to know.
Email Jesse Healy
