It is no secret that people love to spend time outside. Because of this making, the right changes to your backyard can really extend your living space and also increase the value of your home. That said, not everything you do in the yard will add to its value. While plenty of backyard upgrades are beautiful to look at or convenient, they will not necessarily get you a high return on your investment. Here are five improvements that you can do to your backyard will get you a high return.

A Privacy Fence
Setting up a privacy fence is one of those things that is considered more of a maintenance project than a project that will actually add value. However, depending on the situation there are many times when putting up a privacy fence can add value to your home. For example, if you live in a newer neighbourhood where there are not a lot of fences up then having a privacy fence can be a great value-adding addition to your property. 

Decks
It wasn’t that long ago when decks were somewhat of an afterthought when it came to considering the appeal and value of a home. Back when sure, people liked them, but they were not deal breakers or something that homebuyers would pay extra for. Well, that time has come and gone! Decks today are among one of the most prominent selling features, especially when they are spacious and well-built. They are so valuable in fact that an attractive deck can often bring in more than 70% ROI. Now, one of the vital things when trying to achieve such a high percentage is to make sure that the design and size work well the actual house. In other words, a giant, multi-floor deck isn’t going to look right on a tiny house and therefore will not be as valuable.

Trees
If you are really looking for a way to add value to your property, consider planting a few trees. Mature trees are something that almost always increases the cost of a property. This is particularly true when it comes to new builds. These are homes and subdivisions that were built within the last year or two where greenery is significantly lacking. Many professionals recommend planting one or two trees as soon as you move in, as this will ensure that when you go to sell be it 10, or 25 years down the line the trees will be a good size. That said, do your best to try and stick with medium sized trees. You will want to try and avoid anything that is too big, and that will overshadow the house. If you, like many people you don’t know a lot about trees or are not sure what is best, speak with a local gardening professional.

Remember there is nothing that will keep up the value of your home better than regular maintenance. Sometimes people let the back garden go a little bit because they assume that no one will see it, but this can be a huge mistake because when the time comes to sell, you’ll have a ton of fixes to do. So don’t let the yard get overgrown, take care of cracks in cement or asphalt, and don’t let the deck fall into disrepair. Some necessary maintenance will ensure that you maintain, and possibly even raise the value.