It’s Official: Backyards Are the Must-Have Home Feature for 2023

By: Kristine Gill, Better Homes & Gardens

Original Article Published by Better Homes & Gardens

A new report from Zillow names the backyard a must-have feature in the eyes of home-buyers. Here, experts weigh in on how you can improve yours.

It used to be that impressive chef’s kitchens and massive, walk-in closets were at the top of every buyer’s list as they searched for homes, but a new home feature has made a sharp rise through the ranks as Americans reflect on lifestyle changes as a result of the pandemic: The number one home feature buyers are after in 2023 is a backyard, according to a new report by home search site Zillow.

Backyards are now mentioned in property listings 22% more often than they were in listings last year, Zillow’s data found, indicating that sellers and their agents are capitalizing on this desire in the market. 

“The rising popularity of outdoor features suggests the pandemic has changed the way we want to live for good, priming the backyard for a 2023 evolution,” said Amanda Pendleton, Zillow’s home trends expert, in a release announcing the report. “When the pandemic forced all entertaining outdoors, homeowners reclaimed their backyards from the kids or the dogs. Now they’re rethinking how that space could serve as an extension of their home in new, creative ways.”

Having a backyard to highlight is a great advantage for home-sellers—but there are ways to make that property asset even more valuable, whether you’re planning to sell now or in the future. (The advantage of making upgrades sooner rather than later is that you can enjoy your updated outdoor space for longer.)

“Investing in strategic upgrades to areas of your home like your yard can help enhance your home atmosphere, improve your quality of life, and may increase your home’s resale value,” says Courtney Klosterman, home insights expert at Hippo, a home insurance group focused on proactive home care.

Here, we’ll take a look at the evolution of the backyard from a nice-to-have to a must-have, plus highlight the features you can add to your yard to make it even more appealing to buyers. 

The Rising Interest in Backyards

The 2022 report by Zillow found that one out of every five home listings on the site mentioned the backyard as a feature of the home, showing that sellers and agents are paying attention to the increased interest in outdoor space—and working to meet the demand.

“When the phrase ‘shelter in place’ became our new norm, the outdoors became more important than ever. Not only for our sanity (families inside for extended periods of time), but also, we were encourage to be outside to exercise and to gain Vitamin D,” says Sandra Harvey, a Realtor with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers. “The sunshine was very important for our physical and mental health. People did not want to visit parks and other public areas. They wanted to be at home.”

There was also a 7% increase in mentions of private spaces in listings, Pendleton says, suggesting that home buyers are interested in being able to enjoy their outdoor living areas while still enjoying some privacy from neighbors. 

One helpful trend to point out is size is less important than function in outdoor spaces.

“The area does not need to be large or over-sized to attract a buyer,” Harvey says. “Some buyers prefer a smaller, beautiful space without spending a lot of time on the upkeep.”