Are Garden Improvements good Value?

Is it worth doing stuff to gardens?
Things like a paved area, maybe some garden beds etc
I have been lead to believe that carports are very good ways of adding a fair bit of value without costing much.
Just wondering as I have an investment property with no carport or garage. Also I assume that it would make a bit of difference in rentability and the amt of rent possible.
 
I've been told that carports can add to rentability- but that can depend on where you are.

People like carports in Canberra because it gets so cold in winter- scraping ice off a car in the morning ain't fun. (It was MUCH worse doing it in England though).

But on my new block or 8 1brs, I'd have doubts. Council regulations require 1 car space for ever unit, plus 1 visitors space for every four.

But it's bottom of the market stuff. The only time I've ever seen more than 3 cars on site is when the building ispector and I were there together.

R/e agent says a carport worth $5k per unit would add $20pw to the rent (these are 1brs getting $95 pw now). But that would only be applicable, I guess, if reletting to a new tenant- and there are some very long term tenants there.

So it would be a case of knowing your market.
 
Suggo,

Again, you really have to know your market- and the cost of doing work.

I've just done a cleanup of a garden which looked terrible. It had been very nice, but the owner had become unable to keep the condition up.

I had weeds cleaned, pressure hosed paving, and had untidy trees cleaned up.

I paid a garden person $700 to do that cleaning up- had all sorts of equipment which I did not have.

It certainly added a huge amount of appeal to the place, and contributed towards its quick rental.

But, if I had to do the landscaping from scratch, it would not have been worth while (imho)

In appraisals on my own home, which is sadly in need of landscaping, I've been told I would need to spend $20K to add $10K of value. But I MIGHT be able to add $5K of value by spending $5K.

I'd be talking with a r/e agent to give a free appraisal of your property. Tell him you aren't going to sell- BUT you are looking at getting a good valuation of your property so that you can buy something more. Your local agent will have much more experience about what is worth while than you. But you might have to try a few to know who is good.

I'm an amateur with very little experience. But it doesn't stop me from offering an opinion.

The professionals will probably come online tomorrow (Monday) unless they are from NSW- it's a holiday here then.
 
I added a carport and concrete driveway to an IP several years ago (cost around $5k at the time) after tenant said she was leaving to find accomodation with these features. Did not up the rent at the time, but funded by increasing mortgage, which did not hurt cash flow too much.

The tenant is still there and is the tenant from heaven - always pays on time, immaculate garden, drycleans carpets etc.

Lily
 
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