Published Date 5/19/2022
Backyards, once a place to merely wheel your barbecue out to or let your dog do his business in, have undergone a spectacular metamorphosis over the past few decades. But no more swiftly than over the past few years, when families were pandemic-sequestered and began to have an entirely new relationship with their outdoor spaces.
Real estate agents getting listings ready to sell and advising their clients on getting the highest price, now pay as much attention to the backyard spaces as they do the interior of a home, unlike a scene from the 1999 movie American Beauty. Annette Bening’s real estate agent character, Carolyn, excitedly shows off the backyard of her listing to two very unimpressed potential buyers. “We were told this pool was lagoon-like” says one. “There’s nothing lagoon-like about it. Except the bugs. There aren’t even any plants out here. I think lagoons, I think tropical. This is a… hole.”
Forbes’ Jamie Gold points out how the old-style patio and lawn area no longer does it for homebuyers or homeowners alike. People want paradise. And that comes at a price — including the ability to protect and enjoy these enhanced amenities – including outdoor kitchens, media centers, fire pits and fireplaces, water features, pools and spas. “Privacy and safety have spurred a related industry,” she says. “According to the latest Houzz home improvement survey results, security for those spaces was three times more popular last year than the previous six.
Covid played a huge role in causing the “great staycation.” Gold quotes Houzz’s editor, Anne Colby: “The pandemic prompted everyone to embrace their outdoor spaces, and Houzz search data has shown that people want their backyards to be relaxing extensions of their interior living rooms. It follows that homeowners would also invest in securing their home’s perimeter and those special spaces, spending a quarter more on home security systems in 2021 than in 2020,” she adds.
“Brands are also supporting this interest with innovations in new devices, which connect to phones and voice assistants via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi,” Colby notes, observing, “We’ve seen that the rise of smart security technology expands people’s motivations for getting home security beyond just safety alone, to the ability to monitor the home and loved ones remotely. Clients enjoy the convenience and peace of mind provided by remote surveillance, which tells them everything from who stopped by their house to what packages they’ve received.”
She goes on to list the how-do-we-love-thee ways homeowners are embracing high tech: wireless doorbell cameras, outdoor and indoor security cameras, motion, glass and other sensors and wireless door locks — all designed to protect expensive belongings stored outdoors. They also monitor people coming to the home, such as service workers. “Cameras function as active security, and any activity prompts security monitoring systems to notify clients wherever they are so they can act immediately.
Privacy rules as well. Newer security systems favor cameras with local, rather than cloud, storage to keep data secure, employing facial recognition to identify homeowners and grant access to vendors and guests. Strategic camera placements provide coverage and peace of mind over the entire property, while being integrated into the overall home platform to give people the most control, comfort, and convenience. Throw in a design by your friendly landscape architect by adding some walls, fences, plant screening and lighting, and near-complete privacy can be achieved— drones notwithstanding.
Pet safety is paramount as well, especially if a property borders open space. In some areas coyotes and other critters may hunt for small prey. Lighting throughout allows homeowners to safely walk the grounds at night and be able to see, helping them keep their children, guests and pets safe from wildlife.
Forbes, TBWS
All information furnished has been forwarded to you and is provided by thetbwsgroup only for informational purposes. Forecasting shall be considered as events which may be expected but not guaranteed. Neither the forwarding party and/or company nor thetbwsgroup assume any responsibility to any person who relies on information or forecasting contained in this report and disclaims all liability in respect to decisions or actions, or lack thereof based on any or all of the contents of this report.
Not all borrowers qualify for all programs, must meet underwriting guidelines and are subject to credit review and approval. This does not constitute a commitment to lend. JC Financial Solutions, Inc is an Equal Housing Lender. NMLS 365033, CABRE 01445232
