In the growing real estate trend, more and more potential buyers are looking for a property that is either close to a body of water (a beach or a lake) or has one in the yard. It is the reason why nowadays, many homeowners are looking to building their personal backyard ponds.
A backyard pond can increase the value of a property, but the exact amount would be difficult to pinpoint. There are several factors to consider before evaluating the increase in the value of a property because of a pond, which include the pond’s location, size, quality of work, style, and features.
If you’re a homeowner looking to increase the value of your property by building a pond in your backyard, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll discuss how adding a pond can increase the value of your property and some other benefits of a pond.
Does a Pond Increase Your Property’s Value?
Yes, adding a pond to your backyard can increase the value of your property. There are two reasons behind this.
Closer to a body of water
In both commercial and residential real estates, you’ll find that a property has a higher price tag if it’s near or features any body of water.
With this in mind, adding a pond to your backyard has a huge potential for boosting the value of your property, especially if you’re located in a suburban area. Although, certain factors should be taken into consideration and may have an impact on the value of your house, such as the pond’s location, quality of work, size, and features.
Like any feature you’ll find in a house, it’s important to look at the design and quality of work performed. The quality of work should include all the basic needs in the pond, the material used, additional features, and upkeep and maintenance needed.
Supply and demand
As mentioned earlier, there’s an increasing demand for water features in residential properties. Not only will you be able to follow the current flow of the trend with a pond, but this will make your property stand out from the rest, giving you the leverage of potentially increasing your price.
In the next section, we’ll discuss how you can boost your property’s value by putting up a pond in your backyard.
How to Increase the Value of Your Home with a Pond?
There are several factors you need to consider when trying to increase the value of your home with a pond. This includes the location of your pond in your yard, its size, type, and style, its filters and pumps, and the overall decoration.
By keeping these things in mind, you’ll not only make your house more appealing but can also maximize the potential of increasing the value of your property. Let’s further discuss each factor.
- Location
When planning where to put your pond, it’s vital to ensure that it’s at least 5 ½ yards away from trees and infrastructures. It should be in a spot that receives at least five hours of sunlight per day, which would help control the algae growth.
Additionally, it should be somewhere where you can control the debris. For example, if it’s located far from trees and bushes, there’s minimal maintenance on the leaves. Some people also want their ponds to be seen from both outside their property and inside their house. If you can achieve this, then there’s a higher potential for your pond to increase the value of your home.
- Size
After deciding where you want your pond to be placed, it’s time to consider its size. This will depend on how much space you have. You don’t want your pond to be the only feature found on your property as this may have a negative impact on your potential buyers’ offer.
Also, you must make sure that its size can complement your entire space. A pond that’s too big will look inappropriate while one that’s too small may not be appreciated.
If you’re unfamiliar with everything related to owning a pond and maintaining it, you probably already know that a pond that’s no more than 1,320 gallons is ideal. With this size, your pond can accommodate a few fish with minimal features and be easy to clean and maintain.
If you want to see more fish and aquatic plants in your pond, you can increase the size of your pond, although it must not exceed 3,170 gallons. If your yard is large enough, this size of the pond will allow you to put additional features wherein you can make this water feature more aesthetically pleasing.
- Type of pond
There are three popular types of ponds. Each of them differs in terms of uses and designs.
Water Garden
A water garden is the most affordable type of pond and is easy to maintain. Water gardens are designed with aquatic plants and their purpose is to filter the water. It is the perfect choice for homeowners who have a small yard and don’t want to bother with too much work.
Patio Pond
If you’re looking to have small-to-medium-sized Koi fish, a patio pond would be the best choice for you. This type of pond can only cater to a few fish, which allows you to have aquatic animals but also have less maintenance to do.
Koi Pond
If you’re a Koi enthusiast or would like to have one, then you should go for a Koi pond. This will allow you to have high-quality Koi, aquatic plants, and additional features on your pond. Although, you must remember that this type of pond requires more attention and maintenance.
Also, remember that you can’t just add as many fish as you want. You have to consider the overall size of your pond, your region, and weather conditions. You don’t want to overcrowd your pond as it might be dangerous for your Koi and aquatic plants.
- Style of pond
There are two pond styles. You can choose the one you want based on how you wish your pond to look.
Pre-formed Pond
A pre-formed pond comes in a predetermined size and shape. It will include a collection of plants that you can choose from. You can consider this style of pond if you want an easy and quick installation.
Pond Liner
On the other hand, if you want freedom when designing your pond, including its dimensions and shape, then a pond liner would best suit you. It will allow you to play with your budget as it’s a cost-effective solution. In most cases, a pond liner is more natural-looking than a pre-formed pond.
- Filter and Pumps
To ensure that your pond lasts a lifetime, you must choose high-quality and efficient filters and pumps. Although, be careful: expensive items do not guarantee quality. You have to look at the size of your pond, its aquatic plants, and living fish before you choose the right filter and pump.
Investing in the proper chemicals will also improve your pond and minimize your upkeep and maintenance. Make sure to choose the chemicals that reduce bacteria and algae while maintaining the right pH levels.
- Decorations
Adding decorations to your pond will complete it as a water feature. When choosing decorations, such as plants, rocks, and fish, make sure that they do not only compliment the aesthetic appeal of your pond but are also compatible with your region and climate.
It’s important to remember that the more decorations you put, the more maintenance and upkeep you’ll need to do. Therefore, don’t just add plants and fish that you cannot regularly maintain as it might ruin your pond.
Conclusion
In summary, a pond can definitely increase the value of your property as long as it compliments your home. Make sure, before building a pond, that you have considered the six factors mentioned above to ensure that you can bring out its maximum potential.
You should also note that some potential buyers won’t want to think about too much maintenance and upkeep on their future home, so do not overdo your pond with fish, aquatic plants, and other decorations. Remember that sometimes, simplicity is beauty.
